The Second Presence
by Inozender
Summary: The moment the voice talked to him Harry Potter's life was changed forever. H/Hr/L. Currently on hiatus.
1. Andy

-Chapter 1-

 _Andy_

 **Oy! Get up you git!**

Harry rolled over to the other side of the bed, well as much as he could inside the cupboard under the stairs. _No! Leave me alone!_

 **As much as you like to keep dreaming, your bitch of an aunt is right outside the door. And I have no intention of getting a beating again.**

Harry grumbled again but woke up. And sure enough his Aunt was hammering on the small door, calling his name in her unpleasant voice.

"Wake up boy!" she was saying. "It's time to make breakfast."

Harry cursed silently rubbing his eyes. It was quite a shame because he had been dreaming he had finally gotten the nerve to burn this living hell of a house down and was laughing maniacally from a distance. What a dream.

 **GO! YOU USELESS PIECE OF GARBAGE!**

Oh right. And there was that too.

Harry Potter was not a normal ten year old. He had a voice inside his head who talked to him constantly. The presence in his head normally looked like him, but without his glasses, and had quite full and well defined body unlike his own. Harry called it Andy. Basically Andy was everything he was not. When the voice took over, Harry was confident, calculating, and Harry suspected Andy had more IQ points than him. And Harry was rubbing off of him. It was all good though, as Andy helped him. Even if he sometimes used Harry to get things that Andy had an interest in, things that would normally get Harry in trouble.

His uncle usually started his day by calling him a freak and every time that happened Harry had silently agreed with him. Although he wondered how the man knew about that. The first time he had heard the voice he had tried to tell his guardians but the voice had warned him against it. The voice was incredibly helpful at times but of course swore like a sailor. Usually at him.

Andy helped him a lot when dodging Dudley's punches. Harry now knew enough to beat the fat arse without raising a finger. He would just dodge until his cousin would tire himself out and fall. After which he would be swiftly taken to the nearest Medical Centre, leaving Harry in the house all by himself. Harry had discreetly searched on Dudley's computer about why he was hearing the voice. The best he could find out was that, that little voice that sometimes gives us advice had been completely split from his mind for some reason. And it had taken a different yet same personality. Harry mind voice was normally very sarcastic, often berated him and just generally was a pain. That's not to say it isn't useful at times.

Just then his retard of a cousin came bouncing down the stairs. _Oh yeah, it was that stupid Dudley's birthday._

* * *

"Don't mind him, he's a bit dim." Harry talked at the sleeping python.

 **Look at you, talking to snakes.**

 _Shut up._

Then to his amazement the snake suddenly perked up.

"You can understand me?" he asked.

The snake nodded.

 _Look at me, talking to snakes._ Harry said awed.

Andy was speechless.

Just then Dudley pushed him away from the glass screen, calling out to his mother and father. Harry fell to the floor and glared at his cousin. Then to his shock the glass which Dudley had been leaning on disappeared and he fell in.

 _Serves him right!_ Harry started laughing even though he had no clue what had happened.

 **Don't laugh you imbecile! If Dursley sees you he'll probably think you did it.**

That shut Harry up.

* * *

"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An' you've kept it from him all these years?"

"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.

"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.

Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.

"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry — yer a wizard."

There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind could be heard.

"I'm a _what_?" gasped Harry.

"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."

Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope, addressed in emerald green to Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Huton-the-Rock, The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read.

Questions exploded inside his head as he read the weird letter, and he couldn't figure out which one to ask. He was pulled out of his revere by the sound of Andy laughing inside his head.

 **You? A wizard?** He was now rolling on the floor of the white room. **No way!**

 _Why the hell not?_ Harry asked annoyed. _It would explain the things we couldn't before. Like the vanishing glass?_

Andy wiped a tear and stood up **. I guess.** He said as the huge man named Hagrid pulled out an owl and started writing in a piece of paper. He gave it to the owl and let it go out of the window.

"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.

"He's not going," he said.

Hagrid grunted.

"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.

"A what?" said Harry.

"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."

"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"

That did it for him. "You _knew_?" Harry asked his voice cold and even, startling Uncle Vernon. "You knew I was a wizard and you never told me? How many other things have you lied to me about? My parent's car accident? Did you lie about that too?"

Harry turned to Hagrid asking for confirmation, but the man seemed to be bursting with rage.

"James and Lily Potter didn't die in a car crash!"

He then continued to unravel the truth of his parent's death, and Harry listened intently.

* * *

"Can we really find all this stuff in London?" Harry asked reading the list that had been included in the letter.

"If you know where to look." Hagrid said and headed towards a pub named 'The Leaky Cauldron'. He followed.

The moment Harry had realized that he was getting the hell away from the Dursley's; he had decided to accept all the weirdness. And Andy had agreed as he was not the one to look in the mouth of a gift horse.

The moment he entered the pub and Hagrid had introduced him to the bartender, to Harry's surprise and Andy amusement he was swarmed by well-wishers that somehow seem to know him.

 **We're famous?** Andy asked incredulously. **I mean I get me being famous, but you?**

 _We're the freaking same!_ Harry said annoyed.

 **Still.**

Harry ignored him. Then he was introduced to someone named Quirrell and Harry suddenly went tense.

 _What the hell? Andy are you sensing this?_

Andy nodded instantly alert. Then he felt a prickle of pain in his forehead as he felt/saw thin black tendrils penetrate the huge room that Andy usually hung out. Its walls started vibrate and the blackness leaked out of its pores. Harry watched as Andy jumped from his rather comfortable looking couch landing in fighting stance. The smoke-like tendrils gathered at the foot of the huge windows forming a vague human like shape. Andy ran at the figure jumping and -to Harry's annoyance (as he couldn't do it no matter how hard he tried) - delivered a flying kick. It connected with the shape violently shaking the whole room as it did so. The figure was instantly thrown from the room destroying the windows in its wake.

This all had happened in a second inside Harry's head and the Professor visibly flinched appearing shocked. He kept stuttering as he finished talking to Harry before Hagrid pulled him out of the pub to what seemed like a dead end.

"Was he always that nervous?" Harry inquired nonchalantly as he reeled inside from what had happened.

 _ANDY! What the freaking hell was that?!_ But Andy wasn't talking. He was leaning against the wall while looking down.

 _ANDY! Talk to me! What-_

 **There's someone else in here.** He said suddenly.

 _Huh?_

 **It feels the same as those tendrils.** Andy said getting up and approaching the huge TV screen that usually showed what Harry's eyes saw. He started typing furiously on the keyboard. Bunch of code appeared in it, changing every so often.

 **Got it.** Andy finally said.

 _Well what is it?_ Harry asked as Hagrid started tapping the brick wall with his umbrella.

 **It's a base code for some being.** He said. **It's same as you but more… how can is say this-evil. Not saying you're evil though.**

 _Dumb it down for the simple minded please._

 **It's another person.** Andy said anxiously. **You've a part of some dude inside you. I think like a soul. It's not a complete one though.** He added.

 _Well that makes everything better!_ He cried.

 **There's good news. It's locked up.** Andy said checking the screen. **The tendril thing just highlighted it.** **And it's very weak. It's barely holding on.**

 _Well that's good I suppose…_

That was all he got to say as the brick wall started to rearrange itself revealing a bustling street.

"Welcome," Hagrid said. "To Diagon Ally."

Both Harry and Andy watched in amazement unable to say anything.

The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons — All Sizes — Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver — Self-Stirring — Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.

"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money first."

Because of Andy, Harry could look at everything at the same time. There was some woman who mumbled something about Dragon liver. Andy was commenting on everything.

 **There's Dragons? Then why the hell would you kill one and take its liver?**

 **Owls? It must be for post. Buy a freaking mobile.**

 **It looks like witches actually flew on broomsticks. How much control-time you want to bet there's a Ferrari equivalent of a broom somewhere?**

 _Not touching that._ Harry said dryly. They had started betting on who would control the body the day they had learned what betting was.

"Gringrotts." said Hagrid.

They went inside, Andy and Harry observing the strange creatures that Hagrid had named as Goblins.

Hagrid and Harry made for the counter.

"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."

"You have his key, sir?"

"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid searching his pockets.

"Here it is," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.

The goblin looked at it closely.

"That seems to be in order."

"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin read the letter carefully.

"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Griphook was yet another goblin and they followed him through one of the doors.

"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry asked curious.

"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh that."

The cart ride through the tunnel was awesome and Harry cried in glee the whole way down. He saw a flash of fire and slowing down inside his head he saw that it was brilliant white dragon. At least he thought it was.

After they stopped Griphook went and opened the vault. Green smoke came billowing out of the entrance and as it cleared, Harry and Andy gasped in unison.

 **If that fatty knew about this, it would've been emptied before you could say gold.** Andy said staring at the piles of gold and silver disbelievingly.

"Did you think your parents would leave you with nothing?" Hagrid said smiling.

Honestly, Harry had thought they wouldn't have cared. Then logic jumped at his mind.

"Griphook," He turned to the goblin. "I'm finding it hard to believe that any responsible parent would leave their child every single piece of what did you say-Galleon- they had."

Griphook raised an eyebrow. "Well you would be correct. This is your Trust vault. You can't access the Potter family vault until you come of age."

 _Like I thought._ Harry nodded and with Hagrid's help grabbed the necessary amount of gold.

 **We're coming back here right?** Andy asked. **I want to take a look at mom and dad's will.**

 _Me too Andy._

Hagrid picked up something from the other vault saying it would be better to keep it a secret. Harry shrugged.

The ride back up was equally enjoyable as the ride down. So much so that Hagrid had taken off to the pub saying he was feeling queasy.

Harry stood in front of the huge building with his back to it. He gave a feral grin rubbing his hands together.

 _Finally._ He said to Andy who had the same expression on his face **. Yeah. Let's see what kind of mayhem we can cause now free of the big guy shall we?**

Harry glanced at his requirement list for the school and headed towards the Madam Malkins Robes for All Occasions remembering the days that Dudley hadn't gone to school when he had been sick. Harry had refrained from acting when Dudley had been at school as anything he would do, would end up in Uncle Vernon's ear. But without the small whale, his gang was without leader. And Harry -with the help of Andy of course- had retaliated. So much so that every single one of the gang hadn't shown up at school the next day. These sick leaves usually included broken arms and legs, hair loss because of _fire_ , and more than single pencils puncturing their skin. They dropped out after a year.

He grinned and entered the shop.

"Hogwarts, dear?" the shopkeeper said, when she saw him. "Got the lot here — another young man being fitted up just now, in fact."

Harry went to the back of the shop and stood on a footstool beside a blonde haired kid with a pointy face.

"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Harry was strongly reminded of a couple of students in his school that got their legs broken.

"Have _you_ got your own broom?" the boy went on.

"Why? We're not allowed." Harry said.

"Do you play any Quidditch?" The kid replied. "Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"

"No idea." Harry said.

"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been — imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"If it's named like that then yes." Harry said imitating the pompous prick.

"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.

"That's my chaperone for the moment." Harry said with fake disdain. He would be eternally grateful for the gentle big man for rescuing him for the hell on earth. But the prick didn't need to know that. "I thought I'd got rid of him for the day."

He sighed dramatically. And the blond boy ate it up. Andy sniggered. "Yeah. Wouldn't blame you. Where are your parents?"

"They're dead."

"Oh sorry." He said actually sounding a bit sorry. "They were _our_ kind weren't they?"

"Witch and Wizard." Harry said. "If that's what you mean."

"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

Before he could answer Madam Malkins came and said that he was done.

He hopped down from the stool and offered his hand to the prick answering his question. "Potter. You?"

The boy's eyebrows disappeared into his hair. "P-Potter? _Harry_ Potter?" he stammered.

Harry grinned inwardly. "Yep."

The boy hopped from the stool and took his hand and smirked at him. "Draco. Draco Malfoy."

The-Boy-Who-Lived returned the smile. "Well Draco. It was nice meeting you. I'll see you at Hogwarts."

 **That was so easy!** Andy cried happily.

 _Yeah. Come Hogwarts I'll have the git eating out of my hand._

Harry met Hagrid and went to a shop named Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all.

He walked through the shelves reading the titles in a daze. _Advanced Defense Magicks, Household Spells, Hogwarts, A History, Advanced Transfiguration_ and thousands more.

Harry and Andy were practically drooling at the mass of information. Hagrid had to drag him away as he had tried to use all his money to buy as many of the tomes as he can.

"You can't just introduce me to a world I never knew existed and just deny me the chance to learn more about it!" Harry said as he tried to free himself from the clutches of Hagrid. "That's not fair!"

They then visited the Apothecary. While Hagrid was buying the basic potions ingredients Harry browsed and eventually came to the medical section. A witch who seemed to be in her thirties approached him.

"Can I help you?" she asked politely.

Harry knew how much he was actually suffering from malnutrition. So he was hoping to find some kind of magick way of achieving it quickly. _Quickly_ , before he went back to the Dursley's that was.

"Do you have any concentrated nutritional supplies or potions if you will?" Harry asked.

The witch eyed him carefully. "You need a prescription from a Healer for that."

"Oh." He said disappointed. "Where would I get something like that?"

"Try St. Mungos." She replied. "Why are you looking for nutritional supplies anyway?"

"Just looking," Harry said, his face not betraying anything. "I'll come back."

"Just yer wand left — oh yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Harry felt himself go red.

"You don't have to —"

"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at — an' I don' like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."

Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, and Harry was now a proud owner a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks, sounding just like Professor Quirrell.

"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now — only place fer wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."

 **Wand.** Andy said. **This is what I've been looking forward to.**

They entered the narrow and shabby shop which housed stacks of wooden boxes on top of each other. When the bell sounded a man looking suspiciously like the guy who died first on the movie _Alien_ came bounding out of nowhere.

"Hello." He said softly.

"Hello." Harry replied.

"I was waiting for you." The man said. "Harry Potter. Let's get you fixed shall we?"

He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Er — well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.

Harry watched in shock as the tape measure did the job on its own bouncing up and down everywhere. The man –Ollivander he assumed- disappeared behind the stacks after taking the tape.

"That will do," he said, coming back. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."

Harry waved it feeling a bit foolish as he heard Andy sniggering.

When he waved it the second time Harry jumped, yelping as the wand literally exploded in his hand, throwing him to the ground.

"HARRY!" Hagrid jumped from his seat picking him up like a feather and placing him on the floor. "Are yeh all right?"

Harry nodded dumbly and turned to the old man apologizing furiously.

Mr. Ollivander stared at the smoking pieces of the wand for few seconds then a bright smile lit up his face. Harry looked at him puzzled completely.

"Oh joy!" he said jumping up and down happily. It was a quite an odd thing look at an old man jumping like a teen. "Finally. After hundred years. I can finally make another one!"

"Mr. Ollivander what are you talking about?"

He didn't answer, instead knelt down and picked up the pieces of the wand and gestured to it. "Yep. The core exploded. I'm going to have to make custom-made wand for you. Probably with multiple cores."

He then brought out a thin slab of metal that had about twenty vertical lines drawn on it, swollen so that it could be felt. "Go ahead. Mr. Potter take your hand over it."

Harry did and three of the twenty lines lit up. Mr. Ollivander made a face. "Wing bone of an Occamy, dragon heartstring and dragon tail bone. Odd the Occamy. Anyway I have just the wood to stabilize these."

He went inside his shop and Harry and Hagrid looked at each other. Both shrugging after. About fifteen minutes later the old man came out holding a sleek black wand a bit thicker than the ones on display.

Harry took it. The moment the cool wood touched his hand he felt it vibrating slightly. **Harry! Can you feel it? It's like someone let loose a tap. And-**

 _-all is right in the world again._ Harry finished as a white light burst from the tip of the wand forming the shape upturned umbrella before smashing into him, staggering him. Hagrid applauded happily.

He paid for the multi-cored wand and when he had insisted on paying for the one he broke Mr. Ollivander had refused saying that it was his pleasure and expecting great things from him. Mr. Ollivander had no idea that those _great things_ would turn the wizarding world upside down when they happened.

"Well let's get yeh back to the Dursleys." Hagrid said finally ready to end the day. "If they do something don't hesitate ter owl me."

Harry was having none of it. "Hagrid. I think I'll stay in the - _Leaky Cauldron_ was it? I will not go back to those monsters."

Hagrid looked torn. Harry decided to reassure the man a little. "Don't worry I won't be going anywhere other than the Ally. I'll be careful."

The large man finally agreed before disappearing in a pop. Harry blinked twice before taking off his glasses and rubbing them clean before wearing them again.

 _Did that really happen?_

 **Yeah.** Andy replied equally shocked. **I want to learn that first.**

 _Definitely._ Harry said before heading towards Gringrotts again.

* * *

this was my first HP fanfic so tell me what you think


	2. Machinations of Albus Dumbledore

-Chapter 2-

A/N thanks to everyone who reviewed!

 _Machinations of Albus Dumbledore_

Kings cross station is one of the busiest places in London, as it was crowded to the brim almost all of the time. So when the crowd slightly parted to make way for a boy about eleven or twelve walking through the station humming slightly and looking like he didn't have a care in the world, it had people turning their heads. He had unbelievably messy black hair and bright emerald eyes and was wearing an expensive looking black sports jacket and black jeans. He approached one of the staring porters on duty and asked politely, "Excuse me sir. Do you know how I can get to platform 9 ¾?"

"Nine and three quarters?" the man said. "Don't waste my time kid."

He then walked away, leaving Harry and Andy totally out of ideas of what to do. During his _extensive_ search for information about this hidden world he had learned about turning a match into a needle to partial human transfiguration. He had devoured Charms and Defense books up to four year including a lot of history books (he left the theory side alone, not quite understanding some concepts yet). And he was able to perform almost all of the spells in them. He had completely disregarded potions other than reading the books up to fifth year. Because of Andy he had almost perfect recall and with him being emancipated as the Last of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter he was out of the underage ban on magic. His trunk was shrunken and was in his pocket, his familiar was on her way to the school and his wand in his jacket pocket. He had found that he had a hereditary seat on something called the Wizengamot (which he figured out while reading about wizarding ministry and laws).

* * *

"So a kid can help decide if someone live or dies?" Harry asked Griphook, who managed the Potter accounts.

The goblin nodded. "Yes. This almost never happens as a family has to have no heirs whatsoever."

It was about two weeks later that he got a letter from Gringrotts after his had gotten himself emancipated on his second visit to the bank. Griphook had found minor discrepancies with the main account regarding a couple of businesses the Potters owned and had voiced his concerns over the letter.

"Hmm…" Harry murmured while the goblin worked on the parchment on his desk.

"Tell me Griphook," The-Boy-Who-Lived asked after a while contemplating. "Is it common for a headmaster of a school to be involved in the things you have found the last time I was here?"

Griphook raised an eyebrow. "He's not just a headmaster you know. He's the Supreme Mugwump of ICW and head of Wizengamot and a highly respected wizard all around."

"Yeah. Which means absolutely squat in Gringrotts or am I wrong?"

The account manager smiled. "No. You're correct. And we're looking into it." Then, "While we're on the subject of families, why don't you take the inheritance test while you're at it."

Harry shrugged and Griphook called to another goblin that shortly brought a wicked looking dagger and what seem to be silvery box about the size of his head. Harry winced a bit as Griphook cut a small gash in his hand and dropped a bit of blood into a small compartment which had appeared when he had held the dagger over it.

The box started to vibrate a little then before he could react, a huge white snake jumped out of the opened compartment wrapping around Harry's neck. The goblins tried to cut it off when the snake had started to suffocate him, but were unsuccessful as there was an invisible shield around it. Then Andy took control.

" **Get off me you slimy fuck!"** Andy said through Harry's mouth while trying to rip the snake off of him with a bit more force. The snake suddenly stilled. Then it spoke, §Ah… the true heir. Finally. Sorry about trying to choke you. I had to be sure you know§

§Don't you have a more gentle way of achieving that? § Harry gasped out irritated. §You nearly killed me! §

§That's the point. § The snake said. §Unless I make absolutely sure I cannot pass the Master's spirit to you. §

§What spirit? § Harry asked interested.

§You'll see, § it said §Eventually. §

It untangled from Harry's neck, and to both his and Andy's relief disappeared.

"You are a Parselmouth." Griphook said when he realized that his client was no longer in danger. "Explains the snake. Now let's see… yep. An heir of Salazar Slytherin. Came from your mother's side."

Harry was dumbstruck. He was heir to one of the Hogwarts founders?

Griphook examined the cube some more. "You can probably call Slytherin's battle-axe too, although I'd caution against it. While you may be magically powerful than usual you're physically unskilled to handle such a large weapon."

 **Battle-axe you say?** Andy asked intrigued. **Pity you're still a kid.**

 _And how is that my fault?_

 **I'm in your mind aren't I?** He replied. **Can't you grow up a little faster?**

Harry sighed exasperatedly. He informed the goblin, "Let's move on shall we?"

* * *

He had brought a trunk with space expansion charms on them and he had practiced as much as he could while in there. His apparent power had overwhelmed him a bit, being almost completely powerless before. Andy had talked with about all the power lot going to his head, and for his surprise it hadn't happened. He just felt safer that he could take care of himself now. He had always been worried about what to do when he grew up because to find a paying job he needed good grades. And better grades than Dudley means a beating from his 'family' and a week in the cupboard under the stairs. But now he was emancipated and he vowed to himself to do everything to his fullest extent at Hogwarts. Then there was Elizabeth.

* * *

" _I, James Charlus Potter and Lillian Katherine Potter being sound of mind bequeath these monies and properties to person/persons listed below,"_

Harry listened as the goblin spoke the names of people he never heard of before.

" _The remainder of our estate is to be bestowed upon our twin son and daughter, Harry James Potter, Elizabeth Lillian Potter-"_

Harry felt his heart stop and the blood quill he was holding fell to the floor with a clang. He couldn't have heard that correctly. "Excuse me Griphook," he said, his voice breaking. " _Daughter_ Elizabeth Lillian Potter? As in, I have freaking twin sister?!"

Griphook waved him off impatiently. "We'll get back to that. Now where was I- _when they reach the age of eleven. Furthermore-_ "

"No-no-no!" Harry said with a shake of his head at every word. "If I have a twin sister then where the hell is she? She'll be eleven today too right?! Tell me!"

Griphook ignored him and kept going until he finished the whole document. He glanced at Harry, who was now angry beyond belief that the air around him vibrated slightly, his magic struggling to get out. Of course Harry didn't notice this. If Andy did he didn't feel the need to inform him because he was pretty angry too.

"Now to the matter of your missing twin sister. Griphook said.

"Missing?"

"Yes unfortunately. After Albus Dumbledore sealed the will of your parents you and your sister went missing," Griphook said with a somber tone, mollifying Harry a bit. "We now know where _you_ were, but as for you sister, you're going to have to ask Dumbledore."

"So she is alive?" he asked with a heavy heart.

"Our records say so," Griphook answered. "We would know otherwise."

"Can't you like track her?" Harry asked. "I've read about magical scrying, a ritual where you use a map of some kind to locate something."

Griphook was impressed. "That could work for a small area, but to search the whole of Britain, or heaven forbid the world- it would be nigh impossible. Not to mention we need Ms. Potter's fresh blood and magical signature."

Harry sighed, but he wouldn't give up. "Do you know anything that could help me find her? A picture? "

"There're picture albums in the family vault but I fail to see how that would help, Ms. Potter isn't even a year old on those I reckon." The goblin said.

Harry smiled. "That's one place where the magical world had failed Griphook. There is equipment in the muggle world that can project someone's age with almost any picture so that they can post them all over the internet for cases such as this."

"The internet?"

Andy was rolling on the floor inside his head laughing at the thought of explaining the world-wide-web to a _goblin._

 _Now there's a sentence I'd never thought I'd say._ Harry pulled out his phone. It didn't work in a magical environment but it'd help to drive his point home.

"This is a mobile phone," Harry said. "It doesn't work in Diagon Alley. This can access the internet. Think of the biggest library you can imagine, and then multiply it by a thousand fold. You can access that much information at literally a push of a button with this. I just have to take the picture of one year old Elizabeth and it would project a one of her of age eleven. Post it in a few news websites-imagine a book- and I'd just have to wait."

"Remarkable," Griphook said whistling a little. "I didn't know Muggles have achieved so much."

"Believe me Griphook this is just the tip of the iceberg." He murmured his mind back on his missing sister.

Harry was now certain, this Dumbledore was definitely not the Leader of the Light that the wizarding community said he was. How many other things were hidden from him?

* * *

Whatever the man's other flaws were, messing with his family was unacceptable to Harry. He had hired a group of magical investigators to look for his Elizabeth hoping to find her. He had then gone to the normal world and had done the same thing, telling them to first investigate orphanages.

But his current problem still remained. He had forgotten to ask or look for how to get to platform 9 ¾ while he was at Diagon Ally. That's when he saw a family of redheads walk past him a woman who seemed to be the mother to a horde of kids saying, "Packed with Muggles of course. What's the platform number?"

To which the little girl answered. "Nine and three quarters."

They were making quite a ruckus and were drawing heads as they walked to the wall between platform nine and ten. Harry was just about to go and ask them how to get to this illusive platform when Andy interfered.

 **Hang on.** He said. **Look at the family closely, what do you see?**

 _Obviously Hogwarts students. The twins and the other taller guy seem to be older than me._ He replied. _What's that got to do with anythi- Oh._

 **Yeah. To whose benefit do you think that they are shouting and obviously violating the statue of secrecy? Maybe someone who didn't know about the magical world until a month ago and has no parents or guardian to take him to the platform? Someone who was forced to go back to hell on earth by the orders of one Albus Dumbledore who messed with your parents will and sent you to the Dursleys against the express wishes of their parents? Someone who had redirected his bank statements to god knows where and basically messed with your life?**

 _Don't you think you're being a bit paranoid?_

 **Then let's wait and see. We still have time.**

He held back fading into the crowd as the woman shouted even more magical words unnecessarily, confirming Andy's suspicions. To say Harry was angry was an understatement. Who the hell _was_ this Albus Dumbledore? When it seemed like no one was coming the woman and the family walked into the wall between the two platforms vanishing as they did so.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "I feel like I should've thought of that."

Andy rolled his eyes.

* * *

He walked through the corridor of the train, earning some looks from a couple of girls as well.

 **Looks like those nutritional potions actually worked.** Andy comment with a sly grin. And it had as Harry look just like Andy normally did, a bit taller and nicely filled out than before.

He passed a compartment that housed a brown haired girl and sandy blonde haired boy who was holding a toad. Andy took control and forced Harry to backpedal making him standing on one foot while leaning slightly backwards. _Andy! What the hell?_

 **I think we should take to this one**. He said while eyeing the girl. **They've got plenty of room.**

Before Harry could object, Andy knocked on the compartment before opening it. " **You mind if sit here with you guys?** "

"Not at all." The girl said while the boy shuffled nervously. Andy forced Harry to sit down beside the girl while ignoring his protests.

" **Thanks.** " Andy said smiling slyly. Harry forcefully took back control.

"I'm Hermione Granger." She said returning his smile shyly.

"Harry Potter," He said before turning to the sandy haired boy. "You?"

But he was staring at Harry with wide eyes. "You're H-Harry P-Potter?"

"I've read about you!" the girl who identified herself as Hermione exclaimed. "You're in Modern Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century."

"Ah…" Harry said. "I actually thought you were talking about those children's stories. They were very funny, and very false."

He then turned to the boy. "You still haven't told me your name."

"N-Neville. Neville Longbottom." He sputtered.

 **Longbottom? Could it be?**

"You wouldn't happen to be related to Alice and Frank Longbottom by any chance would you?" Harry asked.

"They're my parents." Neville replied. "Why? How do you know them?"

"Your mother was my Godmother while my mother was yours." Harry said with a hint of anger. "If that bastard hadn't been involved with my parent's will we would've been grown up together as brothers."

While Neville was thinking about how growing up with Harry Potter might be like Hermione looked scandalized at the swearing.

"Who do you mean?" she asked after recovering a bit. "I mean, messing with some one's last will is a serious crime isn't it?"

 **Oh I like how she thinks.**

 _Me too._

"Yes it is." Harry replied. "It seemed as our esteemed headmaster was behind it."

Both Neville's and Hermione's eyes widened at that. "Dumbledore? But he's one of the greatest wizards in the world!" Hermione said.

"Doesn't excuse what he did," Harry replied firmly. "And he did do it. I'm still waiting to meet this man before pressing charges."

"You're going to press charges against Albus Dumbledore?" Neville was shocked.

"Yes." Harry said inwardly grinning at their faces. Just then the compartment door opened and to Harry's surprise it the blonde boy from the Ally.

"I was looking for you." Draco Malfoy said sneering. He was flanked by two boys. "Like I told you at the store you'll soon find some wizarding families are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

A feral grin graced Harry's face and the two bodyguards behind Malfoy looked a bit nervous.

"Oh really?" he asked his grin widening. "You know I checked your family after that day. Malfoy's are nothing compared to the Potters. Besides who the hell are you -a mere peasant- to tell me which families I should hang out? I – a Potter whose ancestry dates back to Knights of the Round Table, Merlin's apprentices take orders from a spawn of a Death Eater? Are you saying you know better than me?"

Neville gaped, Hermione just looked puzzled. The blonde prick almost seem to faint.

"You're making a big mistake Potter! When my father hears-" he said.

"Oh and I'm hoping you run back at tell you daddy, see what he'll tell you," Harry said grinning. He knew he was losing a nice, easy to control patsy but after finding out what those death eaters did in the last war Harry couldn't get himself to work with someone like that. Even if Draco nothing more than an offspring of one. But it didn't matter anyway as all the wannabe death eaters were completely expendable parts in Harry and Andy's plans for the wizarding world. "Now leave us in peace. We were in the middle of a conversation."

He then completely ignored the ponce, who left after a minute but not before standing there the whole time making and very good impression of a fish.

"Very nice," Neville said impressed "You cut off his legs without even drawing your wand."

"Thanks." Harry said.

"Will one of you please explain to me what was all that about? And what is a Death Eater? " Hermione asked infuriated, making Harry chuckle a little. It was quite a cute expression on the girl.

Harry tuned them out as Neville explained to her about the magical world's prejudice and its absurdness which made Harry an instant friend of the boy.

"That's outrageous!" Hermione cried when he finished.

"That it is." Harry agreed. "And-"

But he was interrupted again, by one of the kids he had seen outside from the family of redheads.

"Do you mind?" he asked. "Everywhere else is full."

Harry frowned as he had seen at least five empty compartments when the train left the station. The redhead took the seat next to Neville. He stuck out a hand to Harry. "Ron Weasley."

"Harry Potter."

"Hermione Granger."

"Neville Longbottom." They all answered but it didn't seem like the Ron Weasley was listening after the first one.

He sputtered for a while then, "Do you have the… scar?"

Harry frowned in annoyance but threw up his hair to show it to him. The rest of the trip passed evenly except for when Neville's toad Trevor tried to run off and Harry summoned him with an Accio.

"That's not a spell in the first year books!" Hermione said.

"Yeah. It's from the fourth year." He replied sheepishly.

She gave him an intense look. "You're going to teach me that Harry." She said bossily.

"Of course," He gave her a disarming grin. "Anything for my friends."

She looked startled. "F-Friends? Do you mean it really?"

"Yes." And Harry immediately understood what she was like. She was just like him. While it was Dudley who was his bane he realized Hermione's was her intelligence that had her probably bullied by her classmates and left her without friends. _Well… not anymore._

She smiled at him and then continued their conversation getting to know each other more.

* * *

"Any questions?" Professor McGonagall asked from the assembled students in the entrance hall.

 **I got one I'd like the answer to.** Harry put his hand up. "Yes. Who writes the letters of our book lists to us?"

Hermione and Neville and even McGonagall stared at him strangely. It was obvious no one had asked such a question before.

"I do." The Professor said.

 _So they knew._

 **Looks like.**

"Good to know. Thanks." Harry answered.

"Everyone wait here." McGonagall said and disappeared through the doors.

 _They freaking knew I lived under a cupboard._ Harry fumed silently as the conversations around him continued. _And they let it continue._

After a while the professor came to escort them into the great hall. Harry glanced up at the ceiling. Hermione said, "It's enchanted look like the real sky. I read about it in-"

" _Hogwarts, a History._ " They finished in unison and smiled at each other.

He was only mildly surprised when the hat began to sing. Then the sorting started. He stood to attention when Hermione's name was called.

She put on the hat and waited for a while. Then it cried out, "RAVENCLAW!"

Harry smirked and clapped as hard as he could. Neville Longbottom when to Gryffindor.

 **Shame.** Andy said. **I really liked the guy.**

 _We can still keep in contact._

Malfoy went to Slytherin, hardly a surprise there. He kept glaring at Harry who just ignored him. Then finally his name was called.

"Potter, Harry!" Harry rolled his eyes as whispers broke throughout the great hall and took the offered seat. The hat cut off his vision and a voice spoke to his ear. "Hmm, very difficult. A good bit of courage, I see. Quite a brilliant mind too, there's talent too and very powerful. A nice thirst to prove yourself. Now lad, did you know you were the last true Heir of Slytherin?"

Harry panicked. He _did_ not want that knowledge to become public. And most certainly didn't want to put in the same house as Malfoy as he was sure he would probably strangle the git in his sleep.

"Oh don't worry I won't tell anyone." The hat said.

" **You better not.** " Andy threatened taking over. **And you better put me in another house, for the health of those Death Eater spawns.**

The hat laughed. "Alright… let's see. I know. RAVENCLAW!"

The hat was removed from his head and he headed towards their house table, to complete silence.

He grinned at Hermione and sat down next to her. Then the applause started. Most of their housemates looked at him in shock.

"Potter," Terry Boot asked. "Why you in our house? I thought for sure you'd be in Gryffindor."

Others who were listening nodded at the statement. "I'm just glad I wasn't put into Slytherin."

Their housemates contemplated at the thought of their hero going into dark house. The sorting continued and Ron Weasley was sorted into Gryffindor and Blaise Zabini into Slytherin. The headmaster stood and Andy growled. **So this is the elusive Albus Dumbledore that we've heard so much about.**

"Welcome!" he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. From his extensive (as much extensive that can be in a couple of months) Harry had tried to find out as much as information about the man who had interfered in his life so much. He was quite surprised to find that almost every book sang the man praise for his deeds, most notable of which the defeat of dark wizard Grindelwald. For the entire world Albus Dumbledore seemed to be the 'Leader of the Light' that some of the books dubbed him as. So Harry couldn't possibly think of a reason why such a person would interfere with his parents will by sealing it. Andy had pointed out that if he hadn't asked for it specifically he wouldn't even found out about it. He wanted to ask these questions from the Headmaster but also didn't want to show his hand. It was quite obvious he wasn't supposed to find out about these details.

Harry struck up conversations while helping himself to the magically appeared food. He then turned to the staff table and saw a man with greasy-looking hair glaring at him. He asked who he was from the fifth year prefect, Penelope Clearwater.

"That's Professor Snape. He teaches potions." The girl said with obvious distaste. "He favors Slytherin, his house so unfairly."

"He seems familiar." Harry said while Andy took the hint and scanned his memory banks. Harry almost choked on his food when he found out why.

 **He's a Death Eater.** Andy said. Just then he felt something akin to when he had first met turban wearing professor, this was much more subtle but strong nonetheless.

 **We got a Legimency attack incoming.**

 _Can we enter?_

 **Sorry, I don't have that much finesse yet.** Andy said apologetically.

Having learning what it was, he (Andy) could defend his mind much more efficiently and when Andy pushed the probe out the Snape blinked in surprise and Harry turned away. He calmed asked, "Can you please tell why there's a Lord Voldemort's Death Eater sitting at the staff table?"

Penelope and few others who had been listening in stifled a scream at the name. Harry rolled his eyes.

"D-Death Eater?" she asked and several people stopped eating to listen. "How do you know that?"

"Back issues of the Daily Prophet." He replied. "He's at least wanted for about nine murder and three rape cases. And there was no record of his trial or anything."

What he didn't tell was that he found about Snape and other released Death Eaters by looking for Sirius Black. He had been named as his godfather in his parents will and finding out that he was in Azkaban he wanted to know why.

Silence reigned for a bit before Hermione asked, "But why would Dumbledore hire Death Eater? He's one of the greatest light wizards in the world!" To which others nodded.

"Snape was rumored to be in Voldemort's inner circle as one of his top lieutenants." Harry said as desserts appeared. "And then after the war was over Albus Dumbledore declared that Snape had turned spy to the light side and he was instantly forgiven. Odd that."

It was quite a contemplative group of Ravenclaws that went to sleep that day.

* * *

The first thing Harry noticed was the pointing when he exited the portrait hole that day with Hermione. Then came the whispers.

"There look."

"Where?"

"Next to the girl with brown hair."

"The cute boy?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Harry sat with Neville at the Gryffindor table. He looked up startled. "I did tell you we were friends Neville."

Neville grinned.

"How's it been so far?"

"Not bad. Although…" Neville said and then took a careful glance at a certain redhead.

"Had enough with the bookworms Potter?" Ron Weasley sneered from the other side stuffing his face as much as he could. "Trying to get in with the Gryffindor's?"

Harry stared at him. "You know I actually thought I could say you were my friend, but I see that's not going to be an option any longer."

He then ignored them as he introduced himself to the others at the table, who seemed to bit shocked as this had never happened before.

Harry thought being stared at while he was staying at Diagon Alley would make him used to it. He was wrong. He made his way to the Transfiguration classroom after breakfast dragging Hermione on the way.

"We still have time!" she protested.

"Do you know how huge this castle is?" Harry said. "It's better we try to find it until the last minute."

She didn't argue after that and he found the classroom ten minutes to the bell. Professor McGonagall started the lesson after everyone had settled in.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

She turned the table to a live pig and back again. Then the redhead that had met him on the train came running inside specs of food covered his face and robe. Harry and Hermione gave the guy a disgusted look.

"Mr. Weasley. How nice of you to grace us with your presence. Sit down." The Professor said in a disapproving voice.

"I got lost." He complained before sitting down beside Harry, who frowned.

McGonagall started the lecture making them take a lot of notes before giving everyone matchsticks to turn to needles. Having read the first year book and already half way through fourth year book it was practically child's play for him. He heard the girl beside him speak the incantation before he did and he watched it turn it to a shining needle on the first try. He grinned at the girl, she blushed.

 **Oh you charmer you.**

 _Shut up._

He concentrated on his own work, always believing overconfidence was not a good thing. The match turned to a needle and he raised his eyebrows as there were now beautiful intricate patterns extruding out of it.

"Well that's not very practical is it…" he murmured while thinking about how to remove them.

"What's not very practical?" Hermione asked peeking over. "Wow!"

"Ten points for Ravenclaw for both Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger." McGonagall said suddenly from behind them, making Harry jump. Harry noticed that no one else had managed so far. He could see the ginger beside him was silently fuming.

"Um…" Harry said. "How do I remove the patterns?"

"Cancel the transfiguration and recast it." McGonagall said.

The bell rang a bit later and they headed towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts, which turned out to be a bit of joke with the professors stuttering. Harry was still wary of the man, and made sure not to look him in the eyes again. Charms was brilliant and Harry had expected no less from his head of house who one time had been a dueling champion.

After lunch where he received an invitation from Hagrid to come and visit him (which he accepted gladly) he headed towards the Dungeons for Potions.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."

Draco Malfoy and a few others snickered behind him. Harry was again careful not to look the man in the eyes. Snape then gave speech, which could've been taken as incredibly unprofessional as he called students dunderheads.

"I'm sorry," he said gaining the death eaters attention. "Did you just call everyone in the class dunderhead?"

Snape glared at him, all the class held their breath. "That's what they are."

"I'll say," Harry said. "You're the most unprofessional teacher I've ever met; I really thought Hogwarts were the premium magical school in all of Europe."

"Ten points from Ravenclaw!"

"Sure," Harry said, earning disbelieving looks from everyone. "But your records though, they all show that you're the only one professor in Hogwarts history to have produced the least number of graduates, even less than Professor Binns."

"Potter!" he growled. "If you're so knowledge then tell me…"

He continued to ask Harry who recognized them as NEWT level questions. Suppressing a snicker at the obvious attempt to humiliate him even though he couldn't understand why, he answered all the questions correctly. And Hermione kept putting her hand up for every single one.

 **She really has quite the hero worship of authority figures doesn't she?** Andy asked.

 _We would too, if Uncle Vernon hadn't called the teachers told them what a trouble maker we were._ Harry replied.

 **But we're trouble makers!** Andy said. **Don't you remember how Pearce's leg broke when he pushed the girl in our class into a puddle of mud?**

 _He deserved it._ Harry replied coldly. _The bastard even had the audacity to blame it on me if not for the other kids' testimony I would've been expelled!_

Andy chuckled. **He didn't come to school for a week after that.**

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" he asked, quite surprised that a first year knew answers to those questions.

"None," He answered in the same neutral tone. "They're the same plant which also goes by the name aconite."

Snape glared at him for a while before calling out to the whole class. "Well why aren't you writing all this down?"

Harry, Andy and Hermione ignored Snape when the brewing started. And he was incredibly glad he didn't have his glasses anymore. At the end of the lesson he and Hermione had brewed a perfect potion much to displeasure of the professor.

"Oh before you say anything to the headmaster," Harry stood up gathering his books. "You should know I'm hiring a private tutor, anyone who wants to actually learn potions rather than be bullied in this way then let me know."

Snape stood there speechless while trying to comprehend this new phenomenon, a student actually talking back to him.

"And another thing," Harry said. "I'm getting a restraining order against you, Snape. Stay the hell away from me."

* * *

Hermione floated out of the potions classroom with Harry, still not believing what happened.

"Y-You…" she stammered.

Harry grinned. "You can join too Hermione, it's completely legal according to the school bylines. I won't be tutored by a Death Eater. "

Before even he reached the other classroom, the news had spread around the school. Neville asked him if he could join, and remembering how Snape had bullied the Gryffindor the most Harry agreed.

Andy had initially suggested that Harry should sit in the class for at least a week so that his year group would see how useless the teacher was. Then Harry could hire a potions tutor saving his year-mates from it, furthering favor from his classmates. Harry had to admit it was quite devious but he couldn't bring himself to simply just do that. He wasn't at that kind of place, yet.

The rest of the day went the same with Harry and Hermione surpassing everyone in the class. As Harry was pretty sure he was at least fourth year level in everything except the subjects that weren't offered until the third year (He was still going through third year book on Ancient Runes, Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures) so he was incredibly impressed that the bushy-haired girl had been able to keep up with him. It was pretty brilliant to finally have someone who he could intelligent conversation with. He also learned a bit about her too. Her parents were dentists and they lived in Crawley and Hermione had nearly religious obsession with knowledge, just like him. He of course got to know his other dorm mates. Even with second years. . Even if he had two months of freedom in Diagon Alley he was mostly alone, so it was the best couple of days he had in his entire life.


	3. I Protect My Friends, Hermione

-Chapter 3-

 _I Protect My Friends, Hermione_

They walked together to the grounds, eager to finally learn how to ride a broom. After Madam Hooch gave everyone brooms she told them to stand beside the broom and say 'up'.

He commanded it and it jumped up to his hand at the first try. Hermione looked at him shocked before concentrating as her broom was still wiggling on the ground. Harry saw what the problem was.

"Don't just speak the word." He said. "Command it, use your magic."

She scrunched up her eyebrows before saying with quite authority. "UP!"

It sprang to her hand and she beamed at him. Harry noticed that the Weasley also tried to command it, only for it to smash it onto his face. Harry laughed with a few others. After everyone had their broom on their hand Madam Hooch ordered them to mount it. Neville a bit overeager rose up to the air panicking on the way. And before Harry or Madam Hooch could interfere the boy had risen higher after a surprising number of moves his broom broke and he fell while several people screamed.

Seeing it was his chance to act he got his wand out and fired a Cushioning Charm on to the ground where he was falling. Madam Hooch ran towards him.

"He's alright." She reassured the students while Malfoy sniggered. "He's just in shock. None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear and quick thinking Mr. Potter. Twenty points to Ravenclaw."

After she left Hermione turned on him. "Is that one of the other spells you learned?"

"Yes." Harry said as everyone turned to look at him. He shifted uncomfortably. "It was a cushioning charm."

"You're going to teach me right?" Hermione whispered seeing his state.

"Of course." He said.

"Hey look!" Malfoy said suddenly. "Longbottom dropped his Remembrall."

He picked it up and Harry rolled his eyes. "Give that back Malfoy. It's not very nice to take other people's things. Haven't your parents taught you that before?"

He went red in his face. Andy took over and continued. " **Oh right! Your daddy was a Death Eater! They probably though lessons on torture and murder were more important.** "

Everyone except but a select group of Slytherin's backed away from him, staring at him as if he were the plague. "Shut up Potty! And if you want this come and get it!"

Malfoy mounted his broom and rose up, smirking smugly. Harry sighed dramatically.

"No Harry you can't!" shouted Hermione. "Madam Hooch told us not to move — you'll get us all into trouble."

Andy grinned at her and without even looking pointed his wand in Malfoy's general direction. " _Accio Remembrall!_ "

The object jumped out of Malfoy's hand zoomed towards him. Seeing that it was a bit off course he jumped up and grabbed it and gave the girl beside him a triumphant smile.

"Why didn't you shout at him?" Harry asked pointing to the shocked Slytherin.

"He's not my responsibility." She said bossily.

"And I am?"

"You're my friend. So yes." She then looked at him nervously. "You _are_ my friend right?"

Seeing how vulnerable the girl was and being reminded of his own self not too long ago Harry decided to squash any doubts of their friendship right then and there.

"Of course." He whispered firmly. "Don't ever think that. I'll be your friend as long as you'll have me."

 **How… quaint.**

 _You mind? I'm having probably a life altering moment here._

 **You just met her like two days ago!**

 _Yeah but I think I'm going to include her in my plans._ Harry said thoughtfully. _She smart, incredibly ambitious and pretty cute too. It doesn't hurt that she's muggle-born as well. She'll make a great friend._

 **You mean asset.**

 _That too._ Harry said. _Although I won't use her like that, probably. She's just reminds so much of myself._

 **You're going to tell her everything aren't you?** Andy asked in disbelief.

 _Yes._

 **She'll probably run away from you the moment you do that.**

 _That would be the sensible choice but we will see Andy._ Harry said. _I don't think it's wise to underestimate her._

"Oh I don't think that'll be a problem." Hermione replied, with slightly pink cheeks.

Harry's forceful summoning had caused the blonde Slytherin to lose his balance and he fell just the moment Madam Hooch came back.

* * *

The Quidditch lesson was cut short as Madam Hooch took a while to come back from the infirmary, again. It was dinnertime and he chatted with Hermione about something or the other when Malfoy and his two cronies suddenly came up behind him.

"You're eating your last meal Potter. When my father hears about what you've done, you'll be on the next train home."

"Got detention didn't you?" Hermione said smirking, surprising Harry and the blonde. "Serves you right."

"Shut up you mudblood!" Malfoy snapped making a few people gasp. "Nobody cares what you have to say."

Harry froze. He did _not_ call her that. Andy and Harry merged together in a rare occasion and turned around. He saw that Hermione just looked confused.

"What did you say _ **?**_ " he asked in cold tone, which made Malfoy took a step back.

"S-She's a mudblood, why are you getting so working up about it?" he stammered.

"Can someone please explain to me what a 'mudblood' is?" Hermione asked frustrated.

"Listen here you inbred little shit."Harry practically growled. "You better leave this table right now or I won't be responsible for my actions."

"I'd take you on anytime on," said Malfoy. "Midnight tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact. How about in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

Harry sighed, calming down. "So I wait in the trophy room while you tell Filch on me? I don't think so. Now shoo!" he commanded and ignored Malfoy who walked away after a minute.

"Harry!" she admonished him for his language. Then, "Whatdoes mudblood mean?"

"You remember what Neville's lessons about pureblood supremacy?" when she nodded he continued tell her the real story, going so far as to describe Voldemort himself.

McGonagall came down from the staff table and stopped behind him.

"Mr. Potter, the headmaster wishes to speak with you."

"What about?" he asked.

McGonagall looked a bit annoyed. "That isn't for you to question Mr. Potter."

"On the contrary it is," Harry said. "If it's not academic in nature I don't have to see him."

Just then an owl came into the Great Hall and dropped a letter to Snape. Who read it and shouted, "POTTER!"

He came towards him, his cloak billowing. Harry smirked. "Careful now Snape, you come another foot close to me I'll have you arrested on the grounds of violating the restraining order."

Snape stopped, fuming silently.

 **So he 'does' have a brain…**

"That's _Professor_ Snape Mr. Potter." McGonagall chastised.

"He's a Death Eater is what he is," Harry said. "I still don't understand why a man wanted for murder and rape charges is teaching a school full of children."

He was attracting a lot of attention, Harry noticed. The Weasley twins looked at him like if he was Jesus himself. Dumbledore was suddenly there, looking the powerful wizard he was.

"Professor Snape has my complete trust Harry," Dumbledore reassured.

Harry started laughing lightly leading Hermione to give him a look like he was insane. It took about thirty seconds to calm down, but even if his face said so, he was not amused in the slightest.

"Pardon my language sir, but that means absolute crap to me," Harry deadpanned. "You're the headmaster of Hogwarts, nothing more to me. Since I'm not quite yet acquainted with wizarding politics so I don't understand what your other titles means. You also head the Wizengamot and the ICW, yet you've done nothing to ensure this man gets a trial. Are you scared Professor? That if you really do give him a trial and question him with Veritaserum that the Wizengamot would realize what a monster he is and sentence him to a Dementor's kiss?"

The entire hall was silent, as Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived just completely blew the Leader of the Light's argument out of the water. Some (Percy-the-prefect, McGonagall and some professors) were looking at him in disapproval. Others in awe at the person who dared to challenge the greatest wizard ever lived, and the Slytherin's except Draco looking contemplative. Draco just glared.

Hermione's mouth was open, as were a few others. Harry stood offering his first friend a hand. She took it after staring at it dumbly for a while. Harry turned and pointed a finger Snape. "You stay the hell away from me and my friends, or getting arrested will be the least of your worries."

He then looped Hermione's hand through his and left the Great Hall, which exploded in voices the moment he was out.

* * *

It took a couple of weeks, but everyone who was in his year group and not belonging to Slytherin asked him to join his private tutor. He sent out a smug grin at the Death Eater sitting on the staff table. Harry knew retaliation was coming, and he was ready for it.

* * *

 _Diagon Alley, Before Arriving At Hogwarts_

"Thank you for meeting me Mrs. Miller," Harry said politely while the middle aged woman down across from him. "I know you might've been busy."

She smiled. "Quite alright Mr. Potter, I was quite surprised to get your letter though."

"Yes," Harry said. "You're the third person I'm meeting today. So can I please get right into it?"

She nodded. "Go on."

"Alright," Harry took out his notebook. "Can you please tell me what happened that night of November 23rd '81?"

She looked a bit sick but said, "Scott-my husband, Erica-that is-was my daughter-" she sniffled. "And we were just getting ready to have Dinner, when the whole house suddenly shook. Our door was blasted open and men in black cloaks and masks came in. They k-killed Scott and started to torture me." She had tears streaming down her cheeks now. Harry gave her the tissue box. She looked at him gratefully and took one.

"Mr. Potter-"

"Harry please."

"Harry do you really want to hear this? You're still quite young…"

"Mrs. Miller, Voldemort killed my parents," Harry said ignoring the flinch at the name. "And he tried to kill me, but couldn't. Now the wizarding world think of me as a hero, who delivering their peace. And I didn't even know that magic existed until a month ago. Yes- it's true, I thought my parents were drunkards who died in a car-that's a muggle transportation device- accident. They call me The-Boy-Who-Lived, but you know what I see? The parent's- my parents-who-didn't. Regardless of how I feel about it -I hate the whole thing by the way- I'm involved in this war…"

She looked at the child with more than bit awe. "What war Harry? It's over, isn't it?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't think so Mrs. Miller, for me it's not. Isn't the person who's responsible for your daughter's death still at large? Doesn't he _teach_ at Hogwarts? And doesn't his buddies all working at the ministry? What does that tell you?"

Carly Miller was speechless. She had honestly expected the Boy-Who-Lived to be a bit arrogant, and basically in over his head with his fame. She had lived too long alone, and had begun to see the world for what it truly is. It was filled with people who forgot about their grief and all the horrors that had happened twelve years ago, who lived with the philosophy that if it isn't broken, don't try to fix it. In that world, to find someone mere boy no less (the fact that he was the Boy-Who-Lived made no difference to her) was oddly comforting.

"I'll tell you what it says," Harry continued. "Make no mistake Mrs. Miller, Voldemort will be back or maybe another Dark Lord, it makes no difference. Our society has fallen into a dull repetitive pattern, making no changes, not evolving, not doing anything. We're stewing in the same situation that made way for the Dark Lord to rise last time. And the horrors will begin again. Do you want that to happen?"

"No." she shook her head, her cynicism that had developed since the loss of her family slowly fading. "I don't."

"Then help me," Harry said his eyes shining. "Because the war will not begin again, not if I have anything to say about it."

* * *

The rest of term went in a blur as Harry taught Hermione as much as he could, and she got them all in a couple of tries. And before he even knew it, Halloween had come.

They were in the charms classroom where their head of house Professor Flitwick was teaching the levitating charm. Both Harry and Hermione had already mastered the whole book so they helped others who were having trouble. One of those was Ronald Weasley.

"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."

"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.

Hermione just flicked her wand, and said, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their heads.

"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here, Miss Granger's done it!"

Harry exited the class with Hermione and Mandy Brocklehurst when someone suddenly pushed past them making Mandy drop her book bag, its contents spilling everywhere. Harry bent down to help her as Hermione hadn't noticed and was staring at an opened book intently.

"It's no wonder no one can stand her," came a voice which Harry recognized to be Weasley's, "she's a nightmare, honestly."

Harry looked up to see Hermione brush past Ron deliberately hitting him on the shoulder. Harry caught a glimpse of her face — and was startled and angry to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you." said Dean Thomas.

"So?" said Ron scoffing. "She must've noticed she's got no friends."

Harry hurriedly picked up all the books and put them in Mandy's bag. "Thanks Harry."

Harry nodded and ran towards where his first friend had disappeared to knocking onto Ron so hard that he fell down. But she was already gone.

* * *

He sat at the house table not having the heart to touch any of the delicious dishes that the Halloween feast provided. He had learned that Hermione was in the girl's bathroom crying her eyes out. He turned around and glared at the Weasley who was stuffing his face as much as he could. He wanted to arrange a little accident for the prick so badly but Andy had shot down that idea, stating it wouldn't do to risk such a thing in an unfamiliar environment. He sighed.

 **You should eat something.** Andy said.

 _But Hermione-_ he didn't get to finish as the doors to the great hall burst open and Professor Quirrell ran in stumbling half the way.

"Troll! Troll in the dungeons!" he shouted. "Thought you ought to know."

He then collapsed head-first. Harry frowned. _People don't normally fall forward when they faint do they?_

 **They do not. The man seems like an accident waiting to happen so who knows.**

There was a moment of comical silence in the hall as everyone froze. Then the screaming started. Dumbledore sent out a canon blast with his wand freezing everyone in place once again.

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy was in his element. "Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

Harry stood up with his housemates and headed out of the great hall everyone talking animatedly.

 **HARRY!** Andy screamed in his head and he stopped walking.

 _What?_

 **Hermione! She doesn't know about the troll!**

He swayed on his feet as the implications of that hit him. Without another thought he broke out of the group heading towards the girl's bathroom with a growing feeling of dread.

 _Please don't let the troll be here!_

He turned around the bend. **Too late.**

It seemed like he was as the troll was dragging a club as tall as him, entering the girl's bathroom. Harry let out a low growl as unfamiliar but welcome feelings of protectiveness of his first friend entered his mind. He ran towards the bathroom and entered the room just in time to see Hermione closing the door of a stall dabbing at her cheeks as she did so. She hasn't noticed the troll yet.

"Hermione! Duck!" he yelled as the troll raised his club.

Her head snapped at his voice then seeing the troll she dove to the floor as the club went over her head smashing the line of porcelain sinks completely.

Andy was gathering information as fast as he could inside his head.

 **Alright troll skin is quite immune to all kinds of magics except for Unforgivables and I don't think we can cast such a thing without consequences.** **We still have no idea the kind of wards that Hogwarts have. They could be adjusted to alert the headmaster if a student were to perform one.**

But Harry for once wasn't listening as the troll swung the club again. This time vertically and it narrowly missed where Hermione was lying down. Thinking that he had to distract the creature he took a running jump on to the trolls shoulder.

And that definitely grabbed the troll's attention as it let out a roar and started shaking its body in order to shake Harry off of it.

 **What the hell!? Are you freaking crazy?**

 _Would you just shut up and help me?_ Harry looked around frantically and seeing the carnage, a sudden idea popped into his head. He looked up pointed his wand at the ceiling. "Diffindo!" he shouted four times making a crude rectangle on the marble.

Andy seeing what he was doing calmed down. **You realize the timing has to be perfect?**

 _Yes._ _We have to merge because I'm not fast enough._

 **Alright. Here goes.**

Harry gritted his teeth. " _ **Reducto!**_ "

The red bolt of power hit the marble ceiling and the whole room shook at the force. When the first piece of stone hit the trolls head it looked up. Harry spun around the troll's neck coming face to face with the troll.

" _ **Nobody hurts my friends.**_ " He said and sent out another Reductor at the ceiling before jumping off the troll and rolling a bit before coming up right. He peeked over his shoulder as the huge slab of marble fell on the troll's head completely crushing its skull. The stone slid off of the now almost flat surface and the troll fell with it, its wound sprouting out blood like a broken pipe.

He smirked and turned around to see Hermione staring at the dead troll with gaping mouth. He helped her up.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked panting a bit as the adrenaline left his body.

"Y-You saved me!" she sputtered out. "I- why did you come looking for me?"

Resisting the urge roll his eyes he smiled. "I told you. I'm your friend. And nobody hurts my friends."

Hermione just stared at the troll and gave a nod choking on her words a bit. She made a mumbling sound before saying:

"We should get out of here before anyone comes looking."

Just as they were about to exit the room Professor McGonagall entered the room followed by Quirrell and Snape and Professor Flitwick.

Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart. Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry he noticed with a growing anger of his own.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

"I was _thinking_ that this was a school." Harry countered with the same cold told startling the stern professor. "Not a breeding ground for dangerous magical creatures."

"Potter!" Snape shouted. "Twenty points from Ravenclaw for your cheek."

"I'll let this chance pass since there's a dead troll in here Snape," Harry said. "But this is the last time. Don't come near me again."

Harry turned to McGonagall and continued with his tirade "'Troll in the dungeons?'" Harry mocked. "And I heard some talking about a three headed dog in the third floor corridor. Forgive me Professor since when is it normal policy for a school to house such dangerous creatures? And to have a student kill one to save his best friend because the staff was incapable of providing the protection that they were supposed to in the first place? I'm very disappointed in you Professor. Even more so with this school."

McGonagall had no answer to that. A student wasn't supposed to make a teacher feel guilty!

Flitwick came to the front. "Indeed. Although in the defense of the school this kind of thing had never happened before."

"I beg to differ," Harry said. "What about the girl who died in another _bathroom_ about decades ago? Myrtle?"

Flitwick sighed. "That was before my time. Also it seems Mr. Potter raises a valid point. But it does raise the question what _were_ you doing in a girl's bathroom."

Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry turned around and took Hermione's hand silently asking her if she would continue their story.

"Professor Flitwick — he was looking for me."

"Miss Granger?"

"I was in the bathroom crying all day-" She struggled a bit with her words. "-because Weasley had said something to me. Harry must've heard from someone where I was so he came looking for me. If he hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry jumped on the trolls back to distract it then he brought down the ceiling on it with a couple of blasting curses."

Everyone looked around the room seeing the parts of marble for what they were. Nobody missed the fact that neither Harry nor Hermione had more than a scratch on them.

"You can check my wand if you want." Harry presented his wand.

Flitwick casted Priori Incantato on it. Two Reductors and four Diffindo's revealed itself before turning up Charms homework.

"Minerva it seems their story rings true," Flitwick said. "I have to say Mr. Potter, you did an amazing thing bringing down fully grown mountain troll. Fifty points to Ravenclaw."

"That's just Harry." Hermione said proudly before taking him by the arm. "May we be excused Professor?"

Flitwick nodded. "We'll take care of everything. Good night Mr. Potter. Miss Granger."

* * *

Hermione Granger's first expression of Harry Potter was that he was just the arrogant boy she'd thought he'd be. She had initially been surprised at the Boy-Who-Lived almost messiah-like fame, wondering what kind of war time would invoke such faith. She had asked one or two wizards about Harry Potter after reading about him in a book. She had made sure to ask someone old enough to live through the time, and had been shocked at the answers. She had then set out to look for reading material describing the war. All she had been able to find out is that some guy rallied a group of people set out to take over the wizarding world. All she had found were the children's book series called ' _Harry Potter and the_ …' . She had immediately guessed the amount of ego a person who practically had books written about him. And without much detail to hold her interest she had eventually forgotten about it. Her previous assumption about his arrogance had vanished when it he had revealed that he too loved books. Not to mention he seemed to be incredibly intelligent too. And he was ashamed of that fact, it made no sense to her. But after he had mentioned his love for books she had forgotten that he was the Boy-Who-Lived, she just saw someone she could relate and hopefully- befriend. But all of that dreams came crashing down when the blonde boy entered and said the things that had been said about her countless times before she even heard about Hogwarts. But then he had practically thrown the boy out of the compartment and told her that he counted her as his friend.

Hermione was pretty confident she would end up in Ravenclaw and been delighted when Harry ended up in the same one. When he had invited her to learn with him, she had gladly accepted.

It was almost illegal the way he handled magic. Hermione suspected he was actually at least fourth year level in practical levels of everything except Care, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. And he acted with maturity beyond his years, at least until someone insulted his friend. Like Malfoy had. She rolled over on her bed and blushed as she remembered how his eyes were practically glowing when he basically told Malfoy to piss off. And he had done it for her, and hence the reason for her current shade of red.

It was about two weeks after that she realized that she had a crush on him. Having never been in this kind of situation before she had no idea how to proceed.

She still couldn't figure out why she had run when Ron had insulted her. She knew Harry was her friend, so why? She suspected it was because she still had doubts about his intentions as he seemed to hiding something. And those doubts had vanished into nothingness as Harry had jumped on the troll's back. She had been found correct in her assumption that Harry was truly powerful as he brought down the troll. He then asked if she was alright. She wanted to kiss him right then and there but thankfully restrained herself, because her head of house had entered the bathroom.

She wasn't even shocked that he talked back to McGonagall who she admired very much, as he had raised all valid points.

She smiled wistfully. _Maybe I could ask mom and dad if they'd mind having Harry over for Christmas._

With that happy thought, she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of her knight in shining armor.

* * *

That night Harry shot out of his bed in Ravenclaw first year dorm. His hand went to his head as his scar was throbbing in unimaginable pain.

 _Andy what the hell's going on?!_ He shouted to the napping frame of himself as he found that his scar was bleeding.

Andy got up and starting running scans on the already turned on mainframe. **The soul! It's trying to take control!**

 _Well stop it then!_

 **I can't! I'm sor-** he was cut off as Harry's vision inside his mindscape went completely black and he couldn't sense Andy anymore.

 _ANDY!_ He called out without any answer. Just as he was trying to reach for his wand his own vision went black.


	4. The Dark Lord

-Chapter 4-

 _The Dark Lord_

The next few minutes were a series of disjointed scenes. It started with him donning some casual clothes before heading out of the dorm room and out of the portrait hole. Then he was muttering a charm he hadn't had time to learn before. After Disillusioning himself the former body of Harry Potter headed toward the staff floor. He kicked Filch's cat Mrs. Norris down the constantly changing stairs, and watched in satisfaction as the cat broke at least ten bones in its magical body.

He then knocked on Professor Quirrell's door and when it opened stunned the man before he could say one word. Harry felt his magic break into the immobile man's mind, soaring through it expertly. After finding out Quirrell intentions he used the locomotor spell and dragged the unconscious teacher towards the third floor corridor. He opened the door with an Alohamora and seeing the three headed dog sent out a borderline dark cutting curse following up with three Choker Curses. The cutters slit open the dog's three jaws and the lower half of their faces hung limply, dripping blood on to the floor. The dog struggled to breathe and Harry's wand shot out three Crushing curses towards the hanging jaws and followed up with three charms that usually used to make unconscious patients swallow potions. The jaws shrank with a sickening crunch and went deep into the dog's multiple throats.

The Cerberus struggled for a bit before falling down whimpered. In a minute it was dead. Harry blasted the trap door open and seeing what was down there sent out an Incendio. After roasting the Devil's Snare he jumped in Quirrell's unconscious body behind him.

He came up to Flitwick's challenge. Seeing the brooms and the flying key's he quickly searched for the correct one. Spotting it he stood directly under it. He tried an Accio but it didn't work. Whipping up his wand he cried. "Incendio Maxima!"

He rotated the wand in a spherical pattern roasting winged keys in the vicinity of the one he aimed at. He pulled up a low powered Protego around him as the metal keys rained down on him. He caught the correct one in seconds.

He opened the door to McGonagall's challenge. Snorting he summoned a broom from the other room and flew over it. He entered the one with the troll and when it roared and lunged at him, Harry sent out a Bone Exploding curse straight into its mouth killing it in one.

He used the freeze flame charm on Snape's logic challenge and stepped through to the room to find a small safe on a table. He used his magic to feel the wards around it and using a complex movements and chanting he overloaded them and stepped through. He grinned maliciously as he reached for the safe. That was when everything went wrong for piece of soul currently inhabiting the Boy-Who-Lived body.

 _Ten minutes ago…_

Harry woke up groaning.

"Finally woke up did you?" unmistakable gravelly voice of Andy said. Harry shot up.

"Where are we?" he asked eyeing his surroundings. He was on the top of the Potter Manor which Andy had used to design the mindscape when Harry had visited the place in the two months he stayed at Diagon Alley. He had met about thirty house-elves there and because of the almost ruined state of the small castle of a house had instructed them to rebuild it taking as much as funds from the Potter family vault as they needed.

"I escaped when that piece of soul took control." Andy said leaning over the railing to see the blackened windows of the manor. "I think it had been lying in awake until an opportune time presented itself. And after that dance with the troll it took advantage of our weakened and exhausted state."

"Do you know whose it is?" Harry asked.

"I have an idea."

"So who is it?"

"Voldemort's." Andy said.

Harry was speechless. "But _how?_ "

"I don't know." Andy replied. "But it doesn't matter now. We need to take back control. Ten minutes is like one hour inside so we have plenty of time to plan a counterattack."

Harry smiled despite the situation. "What do you have in mind?"

Andy grinned back.

Voldemort touched the safe box and opened it, when a voice from deep inside him called out. _**"Not today Voldyshorts!"**_

And his body started to spasm violently, throwing him onto the floor. Harry quickly regained control and grabbed his wand sending out an Enervate at the fallen professor. In the same tongue he cried, "Avada Kedav-"

Smiling internally he let go his control, and the piece of Voldemort inside him assumed it once again. Harry with the help of Andy suppressed his own soul deep in the recess of his mind, completely cutting the magic between Harry's soul and the physical body. Basically he became a ghost in his own skin. He grinned as Professor Quirrell got up in rage and hearing what a little first year was about to do to him. Harry had also figured out Voldemort was probably possessing their DADA teacher as his Legimency attack was thing that had highlighted his own piece of Voldemort's soul in his body. Everything then fell into place. Like who released the troll in the school yesterday. It was so Voldemort could get up to the third floor and get his hand on whatever the Headmaster was guarding here.

Then it was a simple matter of getting rid of the piece of soul inside his head. He and Andy had debated the matter in his head and finally had come to the conclusion that the only way to do it was to use the killing curse on himself separating his own soul and body. Since that would probably end in him getting hauled in Azkaban and, he decided to get someone else to do it. The rest was easy. He just had to wake Quirrell/Voldemort up and be a big enough threat so the possessed man would kill Harry in the next breath, simultaneously killing the piece of soul inside his head. As the purpose of the Killing Curse is to separate the soul from someone's body it was sure to work.

The Professor got up and pointed his wand at him. "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry didn't even feel any pain as the curse hit the evil soul that possessed his body, breaking the connection permanently. He felt the soul shriek as it disappeared into the ether. Quirrell suddenly screamed before falling down, and Harry smiled.

It had worked.

Harry got up cracked the knots in his neck and kicked the Professor in the face. Then directing his wand at the man's neck debated the merits of killing the man right here. Harry knew that he wasn't dead, he was probably just out of order with the magical backlash of Voldemort trying to kill himself. Except he didn't know that.

Then deciding that whoever (Dumbledore) put the wards would probably figure out that they were down, not to mention the Unforgivable cast inside the school would come running. And killing a downed man probably wouldn't earn him any brownie points he shrugged it off.

Knowing the Dark Lord had taken down all of the wards he made opened the safe and pulled out the object inside it, curious to know what it was.

It was a blood red stone, unlike any gem he had ever seen before. He slipped his wand up into his right sleeve of his shirt. His normal information search through his brain was already underway.

-Red stone.

-Not a gemstone.

-Albus Dumbledore put it here.

-People known to have worked with the headmaster.

-Of those people only one who has any association with stones.

-Voldemort's interest in it.

Within seconds he had some idea what it was.

 _So Dumbledore took the Philosopher's stone from its vault before it was stolen and hid it in a school full of children. For what?_

 **Bait?**

 _For Voldemort?_

 **Obviously.**

 _Huh._ Harry said. _What a dick._

Hearing a groaning sound he turned around. Quirrell was waking up. Harry sent out a stunner from Quirrell's wand which he had picked before. The professor dodged and lunged at the safe box jamming his hand in it. Finding nothing he growled and looked up. When he saw the gleaming red stone in Harry's he jumped at him who brought up a Protego and leaned back. Without a wand he was pretty harmless. Or so Harry thought.

His hand came and an obvious red of Expelliarmus came towards him, and before Harry could do anything Quirrell already had his wand back.

He sneered triumphantly. "Potter. You have no idea who you are messing with."

 **Neither do you.** Andy said smirking, but Harry showed nothing on his face. "Did you not just see what happened like three minutes ago?"

His sneer disappeared. "What?"

"You cast the killing curse at me." He said. "And I'm still standing."

The Professor seemed to have a whispered conversation with himself. He then removed his turban, turning around. Harry was just about to cast with the wand up his sleeve when the back of Quirrell's head became visible and he froze in shock.

There was another face, with blood red eyes and snake-like slits for nose moving on the back of his head. Harry had thought that it was merely a spiritual possession; he definitely didn't expect Voldemort to literally grow out of someone.

"Harry Potter." The snake-face said.

"Hello Voldemort." Harry replied. "You seem to be in bit of a bind there. Are you quite all right?"

"You dare speak my name?" he snarled. "If I had my own body you'd been killed already. See what I have to work with? Can't even kill someone properly."

"Yeah keep telling yourself that."

"You're nothing Potter. And you do not seem to be that much wise either. I have a wand. You do not." He said. "Now hand over that stone! Or you'll know suffering beyond anything your pitiful mind can imagine."

"Nevertheless," Harry drawled. "You cast the Killing Curse inside the school. And I kicked Filch's cat. He would have probably woken up the whole staff by now. Even if you get the stone you're not going out here."

"You!" Voldemort ordered Quirrell. "Kill the boy."

Harry dodged as flurry of lethal curses came at him. He was just about to bring out his wand when a dark cutting curse got him in the right arm, ripping through the nerves. Harry collapsed to the floor gritting his teeth in pain. _Picking a fight with the most dangerous dark wizard in a century, not one of our best moments is it?_ Harry asked.

 **Oh you idiot! You should've killed him when you had the chance!** Andy shouted. And seeing that there was only one way out of this he took over the weak body.

 _Can you control the wand arm?_ Harry asked knowing he was out his depth.

 **Yes. Barely.**

He needed Andy's ruthless and cunning personality and intelligence. Harry suspected he probably would've been able to achieve the same level of brain power if he tried, but he refrained from it, knowing that power, in any form corrupted. Harry needed his own set of morals because Andy sometimes went overboard when he was in control. And Harry was left to deal with all of the aftermath. He hoped he wouldn't do the same here.

" **Alright! I surrender!** " Harry said putting up his good hand and the Philosopher's stone. " **I'll give you the goddamn stone, just stop.** "

Quirrell stopped firing and grinned. "Give it here boy."

Harry stood up and walked towards him, his injured hand leaving a trail of blood. He dragged his feet groaning in pain, the perfect harmless boy. Voldemort started ranting. "Finally you seem to act like a Ravenclaw. . . . Yes, boy, your parents were not that smart. . . . I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight . . . but your mother needn't have died, dubbed the brightest witch of her age . . . she was trying to protect you. . . . Now give me the Stone slowly, unless you want her to have died in vain."

He filed away that piece of information. Harry stopped within two feet of him. This was it.

Suppressing a pained groan he stared Quirrell right in the face. Harry inside his own mind watched in fascination as his hand slowly came up, closer and closer to the Quirrell's waiting palm. But it went past it tossing the gleaming stone in the air. Quirrell's eyes followed the stone movement up, as it went above his own height. Smirking Harry did a small movement with his arm where his wand lay hidden, and it shot out of sleeve. Harry grasped it and turned his body to his right slightly. With the momentum he backhanded Quirrell's face with his closed left fist, making him turn away in almost slow motion. Harry brought up his injured arm, the one that held his wand and stuck it right under Quirrell's chin. " **Gotcha**."

" **DIFFINDO!** " he screamed out.

An almost blinding blue light shot out of his wand travelling up the sides of Quirrell's face and out of his head. Harry stumbled back and the stone which had been up in the air for the two seconds that felt like hours fell to the ground. Harry watched in satisfaction as different types of expressions ran through Quirrell's face. He tried to say something, and then his face slid off to the floor making a popping sound. Blood dripped from the standing faceless man like a fountain and Quirrell's tongue which had been split in two danced like a fish out of water. He then fell to the floor face-first making a splat sound. Harry winced.

He sighed and turned around, unbeknown to the specter taking shape behind him.

 **What a day.**

 _Yeah. Do you think Dumbledore would mind we made such a mess?_

He then felt an immense pain like someone just drove a burning sword through his gut. Harry screamed and lost consciousness.

* * *

When Harry woke up the first thing he saw was a pair of golden glasses. He blinked once and then saw the smiling face Albus Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore. Harry realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows."

"Sir, I don't know what to say." Harry said thinking how to explain to the headmaster the deliberate murder of a professor. "I'm sorry sir. I don't know what came over me to follow Professor Quirrell last night… did he get the stone Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled warmly at him. "No Harry, he did not. You did a brave thing, not letting Voldemort get his hands on the Philosopher's stone."

"How long have I been here?" he asked forwarding Andy's question.

"Two days." Dumbledore replied. "It might please you to know Miss Granger just left to have breakfast, it seems that she somehow snuck in here last night."

That brought a smile to his face. "If you don't mind me asking sir, what exactly does the school know? And how could they know anything at all? There was no one else there with us."

"They know that you followed Professor Quirrell because you knew he was up to something and he tried to steal something valuable from the school." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "They know that you defeated him and recovered this valuable thing. And as for your second question these kinds of things have a way of getting out my dear boy. It's one of the unresolved mysteries of Hogwarts."

"And what about you, sir? Do you believe the story?" Harry asked noticing how vague and convenient that excuse was.

"I found you unconscious and there was a pile of ashes with what seemed to be Professor Quirrell's clothes." Dumbledore said.

 **Ashes? Did you cast an Incendio or something?**

 _Yeah I cast a fire spell so that the corpse can become a pile of ashes._ Harry said sarcastically.

 **No need to use that tone with me.**

"Sir I have no idea how that happened."

"Your mother died to save you Harry. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark."

Harry absently stroked his scar.

"Not a scar, no visible sign . . . to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell couldn't touch you because he's full of hatred, greed, and ambition. He was also sharing his body with Voldemort, and just like at the fateful night could not touch you."

 **Um…What?** Andy said. **That makes absolutely no sense. The only time we touched Quirrell is when we punched him.**

 _Maybe that qualified?_

"Alright," Harry accepted it. "Voldemort said my mother didn't have to die that she just got in the way. That implies that Voldemort was after _me_. Can you please explain that?"

"Alas, you ask a thing, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day…put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older…I know you hate to hear this…when you are ready, you will know." He said sagely.

Harry decided that was probably for the best. He'll put it from his mind for now…

 **Are you freaking crazy? This concerns life and death!**

And Harry snapped out of it, realizing what had happened. _I've only heard of two things that could control a mind like that without potions or enchanted artifacts._

 **The Compulsion charm and the Imperius Curse.** Harry discreetly observed the headmaster. He didn't have his wand in his arm.

 _Since you need a wand to perform something as powerful as the Imperius Curse, not to mention he'd have to say it out loud. That leaves a Compulsion Charm._ Harry growled. _That son of a bitch just tried to use a Compulsion charm on me._

Deciding to use his true Slytherin nature he said. "Alright sir. There's something else I need to inform you about."

Dumbledore nodded and walked around to the mound of candy.

"I'm moving out of the Dursley's Professor." Harry said, thinking he might as well get this out of the way. Takes away the need to inform the school at the end of the term. "I'll give Professor McGonagall the address for the booklists to be sent next term."

Dumbledore stiffened. "What do you mean you're moving out Harry?"

"I mean I found out about Potter Manor when I was in Gringrotts." Harry said, deciding to bend the truth a little. No need to let the headmaster know that he already had seen and slept in the Manor. Even if it was for just a night. "The goblins told me it was under Death Fidelius-whatever that means- but they could remove it given time."

Dumbledore sighed and put down the Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean bag. "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

"Why not?" he asked with a frown.

"Because there is protection that is available to you at the Dursley house," Dumbledore said. "Since most of Voldemort's followers are still at large and seeking retribution for the death of their master it's imperative that you reside with your family."

"They are not my family Headmaster." Harry all but snarled.

"Harry my boy why would you say such a thing?" Dumbledore asked in disbelief. He then continued with his explanation. "The reason that you can't go to another place for the summer is because your aunt's blood recognizes your mother sacrifice and it is in turn made magical wards that has no equal. Voldemort himself wouldn't be able to enter your house. And you need to spent the required amount of time to recharge them so you have to go there."

Harry felt another compulsion charm hit and dissipate on his Occlumency shields.

 **He just doesn't give up does he?**

"I'm sorry Headmaster but you don't have any authority over me whatsoever." Harry said.

"That's where you're wrong Harry." Dumbledore said. "I'm your magical guardian, so I do have a say in the matter of where do you spend your summer."

He was tempted to tell the headmaster to go screw himself and he was actually Lord Potter and was emancipated. But he didn't want risk the man Obliviating him and he didn't put the man above such a thing either. After all Albus Dumbledore was responsible for the sealing of his parent's will, Harry's own incarnation in the hell that is known as the Dursley house and he did perform compulsion charms on him. Twice.

Harry and Andy, growing without the reverence that Albus Dumbledore stood for everything good in the world and with the combined minds of ruthless logic and instinct saw the Headmaster for what he truly was within minutes of meeting him. Dumbledore worked to a specific agenda, something that involved Harry Potter, and even if Harry had no idea what it was, he could see that it _did not_ work to Harry's wellbeing. And Harry saw the man as an enemy. A magically and politically powerful enemy. Albus Dumbledore was a hindrance to Harry's own plans, he realized. He needed to take Dumbledore out, if Harry was to succeed. And Harry had no idea how to do so…yet.

First things first, he needed to let the man see Harry was not a threat. "Alright."

"Well with that settled, I'm afraid I have to leave you now Harry." Dumbledore said and walked out of the infirmary.

He had a short debate with Andy on what to tell Hermione of what happened to Quirrell. Andy convinced him to tell her everything, excluding Andy and their future plans.

Secondly, he had to take care of the Dursleys after he went back there- for the last time, just before he took down the headmaster a peg or two. Taking his pet Death Eater away would be a start.

* * *

Hermione entered the common room fully dressed and waited for Harry. She noticed that more than usual amount of people were in the room chatting. Without meaning to her ears picked up parts of conversations.

"-who knew Professor Quirrell would do such a thing! I guess you can't really know people-"

"-do you think he's dead?"

"-he would never such a thing! He's the Boy-Who-Lived!"

Hermione frowned.

"-I knew Harry Potter would protect us!"

She walked towards one of her own year mates and tapped on her shoulder.

Mandy Brocklehurst turned around. "Excuse me Mandy, but what is going on?"

She beamed. "You don't know? Harry defeated Professor Quirrell because he was trying to steal something from the school. He's in the infirmary-"

Mandy didn't get a chance to finish as Hermione was already running through the portrait hole and to the infirmary.

 _Please let him be alright!_ She chanted over and over again in her head as she entered the ward. She saw Harry's still frame with his bandaged right arm and she ran towards. "Harry!"

She knelt down beside him and started stroking his hand. "Oh Harry, what happened?"

She could feel the tears threatened to break, but she held on.

"Miss Granger! What are you doing here?" Madam Pomfrey (who had checked both her and Harry after the incident with the troll last night) came bustling out of her office.

"Madam Pomfrey, please tell me Harry's alright?" Hermione said before carefully grabbing his uninjured hand.

She seem to hesitate then seeing the look on Hermione's face replied, "He suffered rather serious dark cutting curse to his arm and he's magically exhausted, but he'll be alright."

Hermione let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She had become a lot closer when they had stayed until midnight in the common room talking. Harry had revealed to her of his home life, albeit reluctantly. And she in turn had told him about home, about her parents and her school life. She was shocked to learn that Harry almost had the same childhood. They had become best friends, and she realized she was starting to care for him too. After learning what his 'family' had done to him, she had hugged him.

 _About six hours ago…_

"But how could someone treat a child like that?" she asked almost in tears at what her friend had gone through. "And why didn't you tell someone?"

"I don't know." Harry said with a mirthless smile. "To some extent I believed I deserved it."

She jumped from her seat hugging the life out of him. He stiffened at first, and then relaxed before pulling his arms around her. When they pulled away Hermione stopped and stared into his emerald eyes. They were so close, their lips inches from each other. Harry raised his hand and caressed her cheek. She really wanted to kiss him, but her nerves got the better of her and she pulled away.

 _Now_

Not knowing how to deal with the situation she decided a conversation with her mom was long overdue.

She spent as much time as she could spare at his bedside, going so far as to bring her homework with her. After she was chased out of the ward once again she gathered her reading material and headed towards the library. Right into someone she did not want to see.

"Oh look it's the mudblood!" Draco sneered, blocking her way.

Hermione really didn't want to hex the prat, but he was making it really hard to resist the urge. Since joining Harry with his private lessons she had become very familiar with defensive spells. She sometimes even bested Harry in duels, much to her surprise. The first time that happened, she had berated him saying he had let her win. Harry had sworn that he had not, because that would've been a slight to her character. She had a smile on her lips that whole day.

"We hear Potty's in the infirmary half-dead." He said, drawing sniggers from the group. Which had expanded, Hermione noted. There was some of the tamer Slytherin's in it like, Daphne Greengrass, Tracy Davis and Blaise Zabini.

She and Harry had talked about ambush situations like this and had developed strategies to deal it with minimum damage. The problem was that none of them included using stunning spells or the like. You curse to maim and neutralize. Hermione was surprised when she hadn't had found much of a problem with the thought of actually hurting someone. Harry's comment of how others saw her in the magical world as undeserving to live probably had something to do with that.

People saw her as bossy know-it-all girl with bushy hair and two large front teeth. What they don't realize is that she's also very intelligent, almost rivaling everyone in her year group and then some. And that means she can accurately calculate every repercussion that her actions would have. That was why she never retaliated when bullied. The consequences always outweigh the benefits. This situation for instance, Malfoy had his head of house on his side, and after talking to Harry she knew that Headmaster trusted Snape. And all of the staff trusted Dumbledore. She knew why the Slytherins were here. It was because Harry wasn't. And they were going to hurt her, she could see the signs.

Back when she was at home, the most she could do was hit her tormenters back as they hit her (when they were being particularly vicious). Even if both parties ended up with bruises, Hermione was the teacher's pet. They knew her ability and why some kids would take offence at that. Of course there was the verbal abuse and loneliness. But you can't have everything.

These people weren't going to hit her though, they'd never lower themselves to Muggles. She knew she could get away from here without so much as a scratch, but she knew to do that she had to take her attackers down, quite violently. And she would probably be blamed with detention and house points. There was also the risk of expulsion, but she wasn't too worried about that as Harry had informed her there were a lot of other schools in the world that would love to have a student like her. Then there was the pureblood business. She had absolutely no illusions that the senior Malfoy would file chargers if she hurt his heir and there was a huge chance she would at least have her magic bound and Obliviated. And she had no intention of leaving the magical world. So she was left in a quandary. She sighed.

"Greengrass, Davis," she called haughtily. "You know what I can do, you've seen it. Could you kindly escort Malfoy away from here so he doesn't get hurt? Or worse."

Daphne looked startled at the question. And Daphne knew her ability too. She'd seen Harry and her practice.

"Malfoy," Daphne said. "I think we should go."

"Why would I listen to a mudblood?" Draco said. "Why would _you?"_

Hermione thought about firing off a warning shot, then starting searching through her database.

"You may not believe a mudblood could hurt such a _powerful pureblood_ such as yourself but I've seen Granger practice with Potter." Daphne said, the sarcasm of the powerful pureblood comment sailing right over Draco's head. "Unless you want to find out why there's a rumor of them killing the troll at Halloween we should get away from here."

Hermione imitating on of Harry's unconscious moves -that he sometimes did when teaching her something took her Vinewood and dragon heartstring wand from her wrist hostler put it over her shoulder like a sword. Confirming that there was no one behind her she fired off an illusion charm, muttering the incantation. Suddenly there was a huge pit of raging flame behind her lighting up the whole corridor. Shadows danced on the walls and Hermione fired of a directed heating charm at the group grinning as they felt the temperature difference. "Now would you leave me the hell alone?"

She had to bit her lip to burst out laughing as all the Slytherin's bar Daphne and Tracy practically ran away from her. She gave Hermione a sly smile. Hermione raised an eyebrow.

"How'd you know?" she asked from the blonde.

"The heating charm." she said simply. "The temperature didn't rise, just changed"

Hermione put her wand back in her hostler. "You realize the reason I didn't use the real flame curse is because I didn't want burn down corridor for no reason right?"

Tracy's eyes widened. "You can really do that?"

It was Daphne who answered. "That was really dangerous Granger, practicing stuff like Beastfire Curse inside that classroom. Even with precautions. You almost roasted me."

"How come you didn't tell anyone what Harry and I was doing?" Hermione asked as the illusion died down.

"Honestly?" Daphne said. "I forgot. I was rather…" she eyed Tracy and both blushed. "Preoccupied at the moment."

Hermione frowned at the comment but shrugged it off.

"We'll see you later Granger." Daphne said and they both walked away.

 _At least they aren't all bad._ Hermione thought smiling at the retreating figures.


	5. Retaliations

-Chapter 5-

 _Retaliations_

Hermione was about to bite off the head of whoever dared sit down beside her (which was Harry's seat, always) while she was reading when that someone put an arm around her shoulder. Now she was going to blow his head off, as it was obviously a boy. Then he said, "Really Hermione? Cornwell's _Projections of Ambient Ward Building_? What happened to Garner's _Ambient Allocations_ that I gave you?"

"Harry!" she nearly screamed before wrapping her arms around her. "You're woken up! Are you alright?"

Harry smiled at her. "Of course, Madam Pomfrey's a miracle worker. And thank you for visiting me so much, I know how much that would've interfered with your homework."

She blushed. "Actually I brought them with me."

He laughed. "That's my Hermione."

She smiled at him, knowing he didn't mean it that way. "And to answer your question, I finished it about two hours ago."

"Just as I expected." He agreed.

"So are you going to tell me what happened with you and Quirrell?" she asked.

"We should get somewhere more private." He said and dragged her out of the Ravenclaw common room and found an empty classroom.

"Alright, spill." Hermione demanded.

Sighing Harry started to tell her everything that happened the moment he entered the Leaky Cauldron. Professor Quirrell's Legimency attack to following him at night. Hermione scolded him on his carelessness, but she was almost in tears when he told her about Voldemort being in his head. She traced his now much more faded scar softly.

"But how did a piece of Voldemort's soul got stuck in your head if your mother's love protection the one that saved you from his in the first place?" Hermione asked when he finally finished, now in full research mode. "Isn't that paradox?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said thoughtful. "I still don't trust Dumbledore, so that information is spotty at best."

They continued talking for a while. Harry suddenly asked, "What do you know of Wizarding Law?"

"Law?" Hermione thought about it. "Not much. Why?"

Harry hesitated. "Because I found out that my godfather is in prison."

"Oh."

"But there's a lot of inconsistencies in his incarceration," he continued. "Like I can't find any records of him having a trial."

She frowned. "How can a Hogwarts student check ministry trial records?"

He looked at her sheepishly. "I might have used my authority as Lord Potter to get them secretly."

Her eyes widened. "Lord Potter?"

"The thing I said to Malfoy about my family being one of most ancient families in Britain wasn't a joke," Harry said. "I'm head of my house, I even have a seat at the Wizengamot."

She didn't know what to think. "Is that all? Or is there anymore bombshells?"

"No. At least, not right now." He said.

She sighed. "We'll get back to that, now Wizarding Law?"

They both headed towards the library.

* * *

Sirius Black sighed as he thought about his actions that night, again. He knew it wasn't healthy to dwell on mistakes, and with having creatures like Dementors it was even more so. But he couldn't help it. If he hadn't acted like an idiot, he probably would be spending his time with his godson, instead of sitting here in the worst place on earth. He was currently in his Padfoot form, squashed like a ball trying to think about anything else than that fateful night. He was quite surprised when he felt the Dementors leave. He transformed back just in time to see the Warden approaching his cell.

"Black," he grunted. "You got a visitor."

Sirius tried to use his voice, to no avail.

"Who?" he choked out finally.

The warden frowned. "Don't know who would want to meet a scumbag like you. Come on, and remember no sudden moves!"

He dragged Sirius and dumped him on a chair in the visiting room. Sirius looked up, a cloaked figure sat at the other end, gently tapping the table with his fingers.

"Sirius Black." A gruff voice said.

"Who are you?"

"How come I can't any record of your trial?" he asked, completely ignoring Sirius' question.

A flicker of hope appeared in Sirius's mind. Was he to get the long awaited trial finally?

"Because I didn't get one," He replied. "They just chucked me in here."

"Were you the secret keeper for the Potters?"

"No, it was Peter Pettigrew," Sirius said. "We changed it at the last minute so that Voldemort would come after me thus keeping the Potters safe."

"It was my understanding that Peter Pettigrew was dead, that _you_ killed him."

"Of course I didn't, he blasted apart a gas line when I confronted him killing all those Muggles," Sirius said getting into it. "He then turned to his rat Animagus form and escaped."

There was silence for a few minutes.

"Well?" Sirius asked impatiently.

In response the man threw down his cloak.

"J-James?" Sirius croaked. "No-Harry?!"

"Hello Mr. Black." Harry said turning off the glamour on the medallion he was wearing. "Your story actually matches up with what I thought had happened. Although my version was not quite that colorful."

"Harry!" he cried, cursing that he couldn't get closer because of the chains. "What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"It's amazing what you can do with the obscene amounts of money." Harry said with a smirk.

"To answer your other question. I'm here because of this." Harry said and pushed a folder towards Sirius, who opened. It was the Potters final wish.

 _Lastly, if our are deaths happened while we were under Fidelius, that means we're betrayed. Sirius Black is_ not _our secret keeper, as we changed it to Peter Pettigrew at the last minute to throw off Voldemort._

It was dated just two months before they had died. Sirius wiped off the tears that threatened to break and looked up.

"You're probably wondering why you haven't been granted your trial already if the Potter will is opened," Harry said and Sirius was immediately reminded of Lily. "It's because I fear, there is more going on than there is on the surface."

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you wonder why Albus Dumbledore, Chief Warlock and Head of the Wizengamot didn't make sure you got a trail?"

 _Wait, what?_ Sirius thought about it. Why wouldn't Albus do that?

"I'll tell you why later," Harry said. "But the gist of it is, he wanted to control me, I still don't know why. The reason I didn't want to make the will public is that I don't to know him to know I taken my mantle as Lord Potter. That's when I thought about Lord Black."

"What do you mean?"

"You were never convicted, Sirius," Harry said with a grin that reminded him of James before a particularly brilliant prank. "You're family vaults are still open to you, as I understand the Blacks were very wealthy and very…"

"…greedy." Sirius finished and then laughed. "My ancestors made it so that we can access it anywhere in the world, even in prison. You want me to take up the mantle as Lord Black."

"Yes."

 _Why didn't I ever think of that?_ His face darkened when he remembered something. "I don't think it's going to work though, mother disowned me."

Harry leaned over and pushed another folder to him. "Actually she tried, your father though never finalized it, and you're still the heir."

Sirius quickly looked through the documents, his mind working in a pace he'd forgotten it could after eleven years. And Harry was right, he was still in charge. Sirius couldn't help but be impressed of his godson. James and Lily would've been incredibly proud of him. He let him know of that fact.

Harry smiled and sat a little bit straighter. "I brought the papers from Gringrotts to finalize the inherence. You just have to sign. Unfortunately they didn't let me bring the huge box thing, said it was a goblin king's heirloom."

"You mean the Ancient and Noble House Inheritance box," Sirius said remembering it. He had gone through it although nothing had happened. It was one of the closely guarded secret of the upper pureblood echelons. Testing heir apparent to Potter and Black houses were standard procedure.

Harry gave him a blood quill. Sirius signed in the necessary places. "What'd you get? I got the basic, same as your mother and father."

"Actually a snake tried to strangle me," Harry said chuckling. Sirius perked up at that surprised.

"Really."

"Yeah, then the box said I was the last true heir of Slytherin." Harry said and Sirius dropped the quill.

"You're kidding!"

Harry shook his head. "I'm afraid not, got the parsetongue and all too. Said it came from my mother's side."

Sirius stared at Harry for a moment and burst out laughing. "Oh I can just imagine Voldemort's expression when he hears that!"

"You believe he's still alive?"

"I have my suspicions." Sirius said vaguely. He continued the signing.

Then thinking a bit wrote more instructions down on black piece of paper and slid them across the table.

Harry raised an eyebrow, the grinned. "You want to cast all the Death Eaters in your family out of it, oh I like you."

Sirius grinned back.

"After you finally get out…" Harry suddenly seemed nervous. "Can I come live with you?"

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Why who do you currently with? I know Jonathan and Diana Bones are a good family, they even had a daughter your age if I remember… Augusta Longbottom maybe a little strict but she's a good witch…"

"You're reading out of the will, Sirius." Harry said. "Dumbledore sealed it after my parents died. I live with my aunt, Petunia Dursley."

"Albus did what!" Sirius was outraged. "What was he thinking putting you _that_ family? And why would he seal the will? Of course you can come live with me, I'll have to check the properties beforehand but that wouldn't take a much time."

"I'll tell you all about Dumbledore later." A clearly delighted Harry said then handed Sirius a small box. "After you're back in your cell put a drop of your blood onto that box. It's shrunken trunk. There should be enough cloths, food, water and chocolate in there to comfortably support you for three months. I didn't include a wand because I don't think you'll be able to resist the urge to get out of here. I'm sorry for that."

Sirius waved it off, knowing it was a valid concern. "That's fine Harry, don't worry about it."

"I'll come back after Christmas," he said and walked around the table, Sirius stood up. "I'll make sure you'll get your trial then."

Harry stuck his hand out. "See you then."

Shaking his head Sirius pulled the boy into a hug, to which Harry immediately melted.

He took a longer than he would've liked to disengage from the hug.

"And look for Remus Lupin," Sirius said suddenly. "He's a family friend."

Harry nodded.

"The moment these are accepted by Gringrotts your family ring will appear." Harry left, considerably happier than before he got here.

* * *

Harry made a beeline towards Hermione in the library. He grabbed her and swung her into his arms and spun all the while saying, "Thankyou-thankyou-thankyou-thankyou-thankyou!"

"Harry!" she said, laughing. He put her on the ground and kissed her cheek. She went red.

"Thank you so much Hermione, I couldn't have done it without you!" he said.

They had made a quite a racket and Madam Pince came bustling in glaring at them. Harry and Hermione immediately hung their heads in shame, and they'd done it in unison, causing the stern librarian to smile a bit.

"Sorry Madam Pince, we won't do it again." they said as one.

"Alright, Mr. Potter Miss Granger," she chastised them. "Don't make me chase you out of here."

Harry sat down next to Hermione as the librarian left. He told her everything that happened when he had met Sirius, and she was delighted that he now had a home, a proper one.

"And Hermione, it's time." Harry declared.

She looked up from the wizarding corporate law book she was reading. "Time for what?"

"It's time for Snape to keep his appointment with the Dementor."

Hermione was practically bouncing in her seat in excitement. "Oh can I tell him Harry please?" she said and gave him a look that he'd never seen on her before. Her eyes were wide, with her lips protruding outwards and her hands in a prayer position. Harry opened his mouth to say something, probably about not wanting to put her in danger but nothing came out.

Andy was speechless too.

He finally nodded. "You can, but promise me that you'll be careful?"

She nodded beaming widely.

"And," Harry swallowed. "Please don't do that expression again; I think I might kill for you if you asked me like that."

She went back to reading her book, a smug smile on her face.

 _Little minx_ Harry thought fondly.

* * *

Hermione took a deep breath, it was time. She took the scroll in one hand and Harry gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. Holding her head a bit higher she walked towards the head table. She stood directly in front of Snape and threw the scroll at him. He looked startled and glared at her. She smiled and growled, "Goodbye you bastard, have a nice stay at Azkaban."

McGonagall tried to chastise Hermione for her language when the doors for the Great Hall blew open and three people walked in wearing Auror robes. They made their way towards the Potions Professor who was now reading the scroll. He paled when he finished.

"Ah Madam Bones," Dumbledore addressed the stern witch with the monocle. "What a delightful surprise, what brings you here?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore," she said, and then turned. "I have an arrest warrant for Severus Tobias Snape, right here."

Albus looked perplexed. "On what grounds if I may ask?"

"New evidence has come to light on some cold cases. Minister Fudge approved the warrant on murder charges," she said. "Kingsley, Dawlish grab him."

Hermione ducked behind the table, knowing there was a chance that Snape not going silently. And true enough a curse hit the place she had been just standing in and Snape jumped over the table taking down Dawlish with him. Few of the older students fired stunners at the running man, who was now truly revealed as the Death Eater he is. Snape was nothing if not a competent wizard. He dodged all of the curses and threw his own back at them.

Harry watched in horror as one of Snape's curse hit the Hufflepuff table and twisted before heading towards a petite redhead -who Harry remembered as Susan Bones- and connected with her shocked face. Inside with Andy he could see in slow-motion as the curse opened up the girl's skin like a zipper spouting red all over to the table. Thin lines drew itself on her face and arms and her screams joined the others which were dominating the hall and Harry saw green.

Andy would later tell him that even he didn't see what truly happened. That he was blocked somehow. Harry remembered after a while, although it was a bit disjointed he would fill those parts with the help of Hermione.

The first one to notice Harry move was Madam Bones, because she herself was in blind rage and horror at what happened to her niece. With no children of her own she was very fond of Susan. And she was already heading towards Susan with Madam Pomfrey when Harry stood up.

He eyes actually glowed emerald green for a second and his wand moved in a slicing motion. Amelia was startled when a white bolt with a black outline shot out of the wand. To his credit Snape brought up a shield but she knew what that spell was and in the next moment, Severus Snape's wand hand was no more. But he wasn't done yet. Snape reeled back in pain for a second another spell later his arm fell towards the ground, completely separated from the body and in the same movement transfigured it into a thin rectangular piece of wood with a stick at the end of it. Moving at impossible speed he grabbed it and swung the object at the potion master's head knocking him over. She'd often heard and occasionally felt the expression of ripping off someone's arm and beating them to death with it. But she'd never actually seen it happen before, even if the boy had transfigured it.

Harry dropped the object and his wand flashed once more the previous blasting curse lighting the tip as a shrill voice tore through the hall.

"HARRY! STOP!"

Forcing herself to ignore the scene she looked at Susan, whose face had already been worked on a bit by Madam Pomfrey. She cast a stasis charm to stop the blood flow in her arms and started heal them. She started to calm down her niece, who seemed close to having a panic attack.

She scourgified the blood from the table, ignoring the fact at that it was her dear nieces'. The noises stopped and sounds of people in the hall crying filled her ears. Amelia turned her head and saw that the bushy-haired girl who had ducked behind the table right before a curse was hurled at her had the Boy-Who-Lived in her arms. He was shaking, his bloodied hands around the girl.

The Professors took their cue to finally act and within minutes the Great Hall was empty of all students except Harry Potter and the bushy-haired girl who had now sat down, rubbing soft circles on the boy's back as she muttered in his ear.

"Merlin- Amelia," Kingsley said from behind her staring at the still breathing body of the Potions master. "What the _hell_ was _that_?"

Amelia was torn, she wanted to go with Susan and make sure she's alright but she still had a job to do.

"Dawlish, bind the bastard. And stop his bleeding too, this is way too easy of an out for him." she said. This fucker had hurt Susan, and that was it for Amelia. She would personally see him get life in Azkaban or should the Wizengamot go a little easier, the Kiss.

She knelt beside the two children and smiled. "Hey you two, if you don't mind I have to finish this inquiry."

The girl glared at her. "Can't you see what he had to do because of your inability to catch a single death eater? He almost killed someone!"

Amelia winced at the sting in the words, knowing that she was quite correct. "Yes, it seems I've failed in my duty and my family. So let me offer my sincere apologies and gratitude if you'll take it."

Harry detached from the hug, and smiled forcefully. "It was nothing Madam Bones, I was just looking out for a friend, although I was a bit late in taking action."

"Don't be Mr. Potter," Amelia said as Dumbledore approached. "You seem to have terrific reactions for a first year. Even more so than some of my best Aurors. Would you be open to considering a carrier in magical law enforcement perhaps? I for one would be thrilled to have you when you finally graduate."

"Ma'am I'm still eleven." Harry said.

Amelia chuckled. "Can't hurt to invest early Mr. Potter."

Inside, she was quite astounded actually. Knowing that everything that is on those children's books were false and having some idea of the actual life the Boy-Who-Lived had from her contacts at St. Mungo's she was more than shocked to know that the stories didn't actually did the boy justice. She had only seen the curse he had used handful in her carrier as an Auror. Mainly because it was Potter family magic. James and Sirius, the best duo ever to have been in her service, used the curse if it they had absolutely no choice. The curse was called Augeos Canectum, and was a single level behind the Unforgivables. There was no shield that could block it, other than the specific one found in the Potter library. The curse was not meant to be cast at a human as it basically drew thousand tendrils of magic from the impact point and simultaneously fired in every direction with the power of the blasting curse, Confringo. The caster had to use the shield or he'd be caught in it too. It required a tremendous amount of power and even the one Harry used was a low powered one it was still an impressive feat. She observed the severed hand which had reverted back to its original form and shuddered as she saw that the bone itself had exploded outward, the skin depicting the signature tendril pattern.

"Am I in trouble Madam Bones?" Harry's timid voice broke her out of her musing.

She shook her head. Then the headmaster interrupted.

"Harry I'm disappointed in you," he said benignly. "I thought you took my advice and moved on from this petty grudge. And now you just destroyed a man's livelihood. Professor Snape's career as a potions master is over. "

Amelia was going to rip another one for the headmaster when Harry spoke, his voice calm.

"Excuse me headmaster, it sounded as if you just told me that you're disappointed in me." Harry said. "And what makes you think 'Professor' Snape is going to is going to walk away from this trial without being sentences at all?"

Amelia looked on curiously. Albus sighed. "As I've said before Professor Snape has my complete trust. I'm sorry Harry but because of this incident I'm going to have to confine you to the castle starting tomorrow, so the staff can observe this irrational and frankly frightening behavior you're displaying."

Amelia now guessed the boy would just act like a boy and yell at the headmaster.

"Aw…" Harry said shaking his head with a smile. "Look at you, acting like you control my life. It's cute."

Whatever she thought he'd say that was definitely not it.

"Harry…" Albus started puzzled at the boy's reaction. "As your magical guardian, I have that authority."

"You keep telling yourself that sir." He said.

"I really need to burn these clothes," he muttered. "It's got Snape on it."

Harry walked out of the Great Hall, leaving four people speechless. Amelia couldn't help but think that Rita Skeeter would've sold her soul to get that moment with the Boy-Who-Lived and the Leader of the Light on camera.

* * *

The instant he was out of the Great Hall and was within a safe distance he collapsed on the floor hugging the wall.

"Harry!" Hermione cried and once again cradled the boy in her hands. His sobs came in parts shaking his whole body.

When she had first seen what Harry was doing she'd been disturbed. How could her best friend just cut off someone's hand? Then she'd remembered what Harry had told her about Snape's 'adventures', about how he had acted in the last war. And she ran to him, with the hope of stopping him so he wouldn't get in trouble. She didn't know when it happened but she felt like she'd do anything for him. She thought it'd scare her. Instead she'd just felt relieved that she didn't fell afraid. It meant she would be able to do things for Harry without any guilt on her consciousness. That was enough for her.

Hermione had already come to terms with the fact that nothing in Harry's life would ever be simple. And it was quite a weight off her shoulders that she was prepared for everything. She planned to be in his life for a long time if she could help it.

"You must think I'm a monster." Harry said through the sobs then suddenly pushed her away. "How can you touch me Hermione?! And that wasn't even the first time I've done something like that!"

Connecting the dots quickly she hugged him tighter. "Quirrell? I already guessed that you were hiding something. I don't really care Harry, it was him or you."

This time he stood up, completely pushing away from her. "What've I done to you? Hermione would never say something like that! She's the most loving, kind and compassionate person I know! She'd never say that…"

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Harry, I thought you'd already noticed the difference."

She stood up and grabbed his hands. "I'm still me Harry, but if I had to choose between the death of a person who had every intention of harming you and Harry James Potter, I'd choose you, my best friend."

She kissed his left cheek. "Every-"

She placed her lips on his right one. "-single-"

With courage she didn't know she had she kissed him on the lips. "-time."

Flashing him a smile she took his hand and dragged him to the common room. It was time to face the music of their peers.

* * *

Harry followed in a certified daze, not believing what had happened.

 _She couldn't possibly mean it 'that' way? Could she?_

Andy snorted. **Yeah right, I don't think so man.**

 _But she kissed me!_

 **Look,** Andy said exasperated. **Don't read too much into it, she could've meant it as a friend you know.**

 _But what if she didn't? What if she actually felt that way?_

 **I highly doubt it,** Andy said. **Besides are you willing to risk your friendship over something so trivial?**

Harry suddenly had a vision of him confronting Hermione about it and her laughing in his face. Saying that who would want to date someone like him? A freak. That's what he was. No matter how much he told himself otherwise. Just like he had informed her. Harry swallowed.

That was one thing he was scared him more than anything.

 _Andy, don't ever remind me of that again._ He commanded. He felt his heart clenching uncomfortably. _I don't think I'd survive that._

 **Survive what?** Andy asked, even though he had a vague idea.

 _Her rejection._ Harry said, sighing and running a hand through his hair. _I never thought someone could have 'that' much influence on me. I can stand her disagreeing and even outright refusing my future plans for the wizarding world because I can make different ones. Plans that would satisfy her. So I'll just have to settle for her friendship and advice. Anything more I won't risk._

 **Good.** Andy said. **That's good Harry.**

 _And thanks for taking over when there with Dumbledore._ Harry said. _I don't think I'll ever be able to have control like that._

 **You're welcome.** Andy smiled. **On another note, that, um- green thing you did, it really was you wasn't it? Because that sure as hell wasn't me!**

Harry blushed. _Yeah. One second I'm seeing Susan's face getting cut and the next I'm seeing the same happen to Hermione. And I simply couldn't handle that._

 **Ah the insanity defense!** Andy said. **The 'something-bad-happened-to-someone-I-care-about-and-I-lost-control' excuse. Just be a man- or in this case a boy- and admit that you wanted the beat the prick to death, there's no one here.**

 _Andy, don't be a dick,_ Harry said annoyed. _You know even you would've loved to have done that._

 **True. But enough about that because here's something else I don't get.** Andy said. **Why would Snape run? He knows Dumbledore has considerable political pull and he could've gotten Snape this out of a trial too.**

 _Yeah, that's bugging me too._ He mused. _Keep an eye out would you Andy?_

 **Always.**

* * *

Amelia Bones didn't know what to do. Working as the head of the DMLE for such a long time, it was an unfamiliar for her. In one hand, she wanted to groom the Harry Potter to take her place as head, when she was gone. On the other hand she wanted him committed to St. Mungo's for the rest of his life. At least until he gets himself fixed.

Oh she knew what he was, she could see the signs. Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, the savior of the wizarding world was a sociopath. She couldn't be sure that it was an act, the whole breakdown after beating Snape but if the way he put down Dumbledore by completely taking control of his emotions were any indication, there was a huge chance that it was. And that scared her. He was immensely powerful as a kid, and was going to be even more when he finally grows up. Probably even more than Dumbledore himself. Amelia had done some research after finding out how much injuries the young Potter had and what she found was …disturbing. She had sent one of her Muggleborn Aurors to check Harry's school before he came to Hogwarts. The Auror had found records of Harry bullied a lot and almost all of the kids who had done it had mysteriously been found with injuries. It rang alarms all over her experienced brain. If he'd left to fester there was a chance that he might become the next Lord Voldemort. But with completely different ideals. While the Dark Lord enforced in pureblood supremacy while murdering, Harry Potter would enforce equality and in its name do the same thing. He would kill anyone who would disagree with his view and wouldn't show any remorse. He hadn't when beating Snape to death. Who knows what could've happened if that girl hadn't stopped him?

Amelia could see it too happening too. She'd seen it in other more aggressive Muggleborns before. The blinding anger and righteous indignation at being denied something they truly coveted, because of their heritage. They would sometime swear that they'd wipe out the inbred pureblood scum after getting wasted after of a particular difficult mission. The purebloods would conveniently ignore this, as most of the Muggleborn Aurors are considerably stronger than pureblooded ones.

Susan had informed her how Harry had easily gained the confidence and trust in almost every year-mate in Hogwarts except the Slytherin's. All he had done was drop hints and offhanded comments about the staff's incompetence and then proved that it was truly the case. If Susan's comments about how he was pretty close with some of the upper years any indication it seems like the boy was already making allies.

She was absolutely certain, that Harry Potter had good goals. The problem was that he seemed to be eager to do anything to achieve those goals as well.

Amelia would find out how accurate those statements were in the coming days. It was a pity that she'd never find out why Harry seemed apathetic to such dreadful acts- because Harry actually did. It's just Andy normally handle such feelings, giving to the world the picture of complete calm. It was a necessary evil, Harry would think, and Andy would agree.

* * *

Hermione fidgeted while waiting for Harry on the platform 93/4. He had gone to shrink their trunks, and talk to Neville's grandmother about Sirius Black. He had invited her but she had declined quoting a line about proper wizarding etiquette regarding official House business. He had pouted but finally relented.

"Alright," Harry said coming from where he was talking. "Let's go."

They crossed the gateway. "So how'd it go?"

"Lady Longbottom said she'd consider it." Harry replied.

"That's good." Hermione nodded, then seeing her parents ran towards them.

She reveled in her mother and father's embrace. She really had missed them. Seeing Harry awkwardly shifting on his feet, she turned and smiled at him.

"Mom, Dad this is my best friend, Harry Potter." she said. "Harry this is my Mom and Dad."

"Nice to meet you Dr. and Dr. Granger," Harry said politely and offered his hand. "That's going to get confusing real fast."

They both shook it. "Nice to meet you too. Hermione has said a lot of things about you."

Harry took a speculative glance at her. "Don't worry Harry, it's all good things."

"There're bad things?" Dan Granger asked.

"No. Not really." She said evasively. "Oh look at the time!"

She dragged Harry towards the black BMW and Emma Granger shared a look with her husband. He shrugged and followed.

* * *

A/N Got a little parody-like with Snape there with the cricket bat. Sorry I couldn't help it


	6. Grangers

-Chapter 6-

 _Grangers_

He sighed contently and fell into step with Hermione who was humming lightly as they wandered around the neighborhood. His integration with the Grangers had gone smoothly, except when Hermione had offhandedly commented about his previous living situation, the cupboard under the stairs. Harry had tried to reassure them it was nothing but they'd been relentless and Harry had finally yielded and told them the abridged version of his life with the Dursleys. Needless to say, they were not amused. It took all of his negotiation skills to convince the Grangers not to press charges, as Dumbledore wouldn't bat an eyelash to fix it so that it would look like Harry's the one lying, not the Dursleys.

* * *

"But Harry why would the Headmaster do something that?" Emma asked. "I find it hard to believe Dumbledore would go to such length to control a mere eleven year old."

It was Hermione who clarified. "The information you're missing Mom is the fact that Harry is like the messiah of the Wizarding world. I'll give you a book about it later."

* * *

Emma had been the most tolerant about the whole matter, though Harry suspected it was most for the benefit of her husband. But Hermione had to beg her father not to go to Little Winging so he could kill the bastards. Harry had then to completely change the subject had offered to ward the whole house and any other property the Grangers owned.

* * *

"Oh Harry you don't have to…" Hermione protested.

"It's nothing Hermione," Harry said. "Besides the goblins owe me a favor for failing to ensure that I receive the monthly bank statements. They'd do it for free."

Technically that wasn't lie as the goblin did owe him a favor and would ward the house if he asked but he'd pay them anyway. He wanted that favor something else, something he hadn't thought of yet.

"Wards?" Dan asked.

"You know basic fire proofing, defensive and other stuff." Harry said. "After the goblins are done with it nothing short of a missile blast will harm this house, though I don't recommend that you actually test it. That reminds me…"

Harry took off to the guest room he had been offered and summoned the sheaf of bank statements that the goblin had given him. Knowing next to nothing about finances he hoped Dan and Emma would be able to help him. The goblins were fine in handling all of the wizarding side, but they knew little of goings in the Muggle world and Potters owned a substantial amount of businesses there too. He picked up all of the documents, including the statements of personal, family, corporate, and trust vaults. Coming back down, he placed all of them on the table of the Granger study.

"What are these?" Hermione asked eyeing the papers curiously.

"Bank statements," Harry informed them. "Dumbledore interfered with my mail as well. There a whole vault at Gringrotts filled with presents send to the Boy-Who-Lived. I had to hire couple of goblins to manage all of that. They'll be sending the cards and replies that need signing any day now. That's irrelevant anyhow as I have no idea what these statements means. I don't like econ."

Dan chuckled and put on a pair of spectacles and he and Emma started sorting through the papers.

In about five minutes Emma whistled and leaned against her chair. "Hermione dear, what's the galleon and pound conversation rate?"

She scrunched her eyebrows, trying to remember. "I don't know. A galleon is very closer to pound though if a bit more high."

"Harry why would the bank send you these?" Dan asked.

"I'm the last of the Potters," Harry said with a solemn look. "Since I went through the inheritance ritual I'm head of House too."

"Do you know how much is in here?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really."

"What?" Hermione asked. Dan showed her the number in the calculator. Hermione's eyebrow went up.

"Billions?" she asked disbelief evident in her voice.

"That's a lot right?" Harry asked.

The three Grangers nodded in unison. They very well off having a clinic of their own. But this boy was a billionaire and he didn't even care about it.

"Anyway, do you any good investment opportunities?" Harry asked.

* * *

Christmas had been brilliant, as it was Harry's first where he actually participated. He had been reluctant to go to Church with the Grangers because he didn't particularly care about religion and he couldn't bring himself to believe a book so flawed and filled with inconsistencies. It completely went against his nature. But he had declined accompanying the Grangers mainly because it was a family tradition. And he didn't want to impose. But they had insisted and he had gone. Knowing that magic existed also helped with the whole thing a bit as well.

Andy disturbed his thoughts. **Don't you think we should hire tutors for normal class as well? It could give us an edge against the ignorant wizardkind.**

"Hermione I'm thinking about hiring tutors to continue our muggle education," he asked from her. "What do you think?"

Her face lit up. "Oh I think that's a great idea! Just imagine what we could do!"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing too," Harry said. "If we could figure out the mechanics we could probably combine a spaceship and a Portkey to create hyperspace! We could visit the moon and pop back home in time for tea."

Excited by that idea they continued battling idea's back and forth. Suddenly Hermione stopped in her tracks. Following where her eyes lay Harry spotted a group of kids about their age walking towards them.

"Hermione?" he asked. "You alright?"

Knowing how Harry acted against anyone who hurt her she grabbed his hand. She still remembered what happened to Malfoy when he tried to attack Harry for maiming his godfather and getting him arrested. He had two broken arms and a dislocated jaw with four teeth missing and wasn't on the train heading home the next day. And Harry had only used his wand to disarm the group that came after him. Seeing how he had taken a fully grown wizard down using only a couple of spells, it was not hard to believe that he was probably the most powerful wizard in their year, maybe the second one as well. She didn't want to think what he would if he knew what these people have done to her in the past.

"Harry let's walk back home," Hermione said. "Please?"

"Why?" he asked puzzled.

"Let's just go…" but she was too late. They were already here.

"Oh looky here," a particularly nasty girl named Darcy Wilkes sneered at her. "It's the buck-toothed wonder! Mum and Dad brought a friend for you huh?"

Harry's eyes narrowed while the others observed him and all the expensive stuff he was wearing. When Hermione had asked about it Harry had sheepishly informed her that the saleswoman said that he looked good in them. She had been a bit miffed about that but couldn't argue with the results, he did look good.

Benny Jacobs struck out his hand. "You shouldn't hang out with _this,"_ he gestured to Hermione, she stifled the tears threatening to break. "I'm Benny."

Hermione looked at Harry who stared at the hand with a thoughtful gaze. He suddenly looked up. "I know you! You were with Dudley and me at my school!"

Benny's face paled almost instantly and he backed away. "P-Potter? What are you doing here? And where did you get all those stuff? Did you steal them?"

Hermione didn't understand what was going on but damned if she's going to let someone who'd tormented her all the while she was in school do the same to Harry.

"Shut it Benny," Hermione said. "Unlike you Harry doesn't have to steal, he's rich enough to buy this whole neighborhood."

Benny laughed nervously, with the group following a bit later. "Yeah right! Big D always told us what a freak you were, you couldn't have that kind of money!"

Maddy, another one of Hermione's _friends_ came forward, she seemed to notice the expensive items as well.

"Come on Harry," she said batting her eyelashes. Hermione silently fumed. "You don't need to be with this beaver face, my mom would love to have you over."

Harry completely ignored her and focused his attention to Benny.

"It _is_ you Benny!" He chuckled. "Do you remember the last time we met? With Piers?" His expression suddenly became the one Hermione had only seen when dealing with Snape. "Do you remember how he screamed and wet his pants?"

Benny swallowed and stumbled backwards. "S-Shut up!"

Hermione observed her best friend worryingly. The way he was now, someone was going to get hurt.

Harry broke the hold of her on his arm and stepped towards the cowering boy. "I knew you transferred schools, but I never imagined that you'd come here! And it seems like you tormented my best friend as well. You remember what happened to the last person who tried to hurt someone who didn't deserve it. And you always hurt people who didn't deserve it."

The fat boy who was beside Benny recognizing the situation for what it is jumped at Harry with his hand raised. Harry easily blocked and kicked him in the stomach as the two of the girls came towards Hermione. She smirked internally despite the situation. If two girls had come at her before she had met Harry and trained with him, she would've been terrified. She always fought back when they bullied her before. But not like this, never like this. She had skill now.

Hermione punched Maddy on the face, broking her nose. She slid out of the way when Chloe leapt at her. Hermione backhanded the girl behind her head and she fell to the floor in a heap. She turned to Harry with a triumphant look on her face. She smiled when she saw every other one in the group were on the floor groaning and Harry coming towards her dragging Benny who was on the pavement by the hand. He shrieked as the rough floor scratched his exposed legs and stomach. Harry dropped the crying boy casually on the floor and took Hermione's hand.

"It's getting late," Harry said with a smile. "We should get back."

* * *

Albus Dumbledore was not a happy wizard. He was actually frustrated beyond belief. All of these feelings centered around one boy. Harry Potter. Ever since hearing the prophecy Albus had feared for the good of the wizarding world. He was not a blood snob by any means; he just saw it for what it was, just like Tom Riddle did. It was the key to controlling their society. And Albus employed a much more subtle way of doing it than Tom. He'd been doing so since he had beaten his childhood friend and lover, Gellert Grindelwald. He had never imagined how powerful and brilliant the thrill of literally having the world at his fingertips would feel. And with the near god-like reverence he got after defeating the most powerful dark wizard of the time, he began to plan. Subtlety was the game, and he almost had complete control of the world, until the Riddle started making noise. Albus had early on recognized how powerful the boy would be, and tried to raise him to be his protégé.

It was after three years that he realized that Tom was one of the most intelligent wizards he had ever met. Tom would not be manipulated, lied to or in any other way, controlled. Not by Albus or others. He was quite the sick puppy too, Albus could see that. Seeing Riddle as the threat he is, Albus had tried to take him out of the way and hadn't managed to do so much as scratch him. It wasn't that Riddle was magically more powerful than Albus, not at all. Tom Riddle had contingency plan over contingency plan and saw Albus for what he really was too. Albus couldn't touch him. Sure he could've killed the boy easily by using a wand, but that wasn't Albus's style. And by the time Lord Voldemort had come to power it was too late.

Albus had been searching for a way to rid of Voldemort when the Prophecy had been practically fallen to his lap while doing an interview in his office. The rest was easy. Find someone to carry the news to Voldemort. And the fact that someone had been Snape was a huge was fortune smiling down on him.

After the fall of Voldemort and now the unexpected advantage of the orphaned Potter boy, he had a perfect plan to finally take over. Albus now had another postwar community, someone powerful enough to completely control and enough influence in the government to carry out the plan.

Albus had been delighted when the time finally came for the boy to arrive at Hogwarts. And had been more than shocked to find out that Harry Potter was not the feeble and easily impressionable Albus had expected him to be. After sealing the Potter will, which wasn't hard during such a post-war time, he had looked into where the boy would live just the way Albus wanted. An orphanage was out of the question, because he couldn't dare risk making another Tom Riddle. That had left Lily Potter's sister.

Petunia and her whale of a husband who hated magic and everything about it would make sure the boy would be often introduced to the cane. And Petunia would never tell the boy about magic until the letter itself would come. That would keep him weak, with low self-esteem and he would hang onto any kind of helpline and never let go. He would never question anything, because having been taught not to ask any since he was little. It was one of his more genius plans if he said so for himself. And somehow all of that backfired.

The boy seemed intelligent, even more than his late mother it seems so. Albus knew from the moment that the sorting hat refused to let him listen in and the boy being sorted into Ravenclaw it was hopeless for him to have any sort of contact with Ronald. He would never be smart enough to be sorted there and loathed anyone who wasn't in Gryffindor.

He had been shocked to learn that the boy had hired a private tutor and completely cut off that line of influence. Albus remembered the last staff meeting about a week ago. Before Severus had been arrested.

* * *

"So how do you all settling in this year?" Albus asked from the gathered staff. "Everything all right I hope?"

There were affirmations all around. "And how does Mr. Potter fare?"

Once again they spoke all at once, saying good about the boy. _This would not do at all._ Albus wanted Harry weak and slack off as often as he could because his friendship demanded it. Having Ronald befriend Harry would've done that nicely. Now with the boy being sorting into Ravenclaw blew all of that out of the water, and his best friend Ms. Granger was a disaster. She was the perfect teacher's pet and would encourage Harry to do his best.

"One at a time please," Albus said gently. "I'm not quite the young man I once was."

"He's brilliant at Transfiguration," Minerva said. "Even more so than James was."

Severus snorted and Minerva glared at him.

"Same with Charms," the diminutive professor said with glee. "I saw Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger practicing once; I believe he's already covered the second year material as well. I even saw him perform a perfect Summoning Charm!"

"Yeah right." Severus said.

They continued to praise the boy leaving Albus to think that the seal he had put over Harry's normal infant accidental magic seal had somehow broken through. Albus needed to find a way to do it again.

He'd been delighted and angry at the same time when head of the DMLE had appeared in the great hall claiming she had an arrest warrant for the potions professor. Angry because there was every chance of him losing his pet spy that also sometimes served as his own special potions brewer. Delighted because he finally had another chance to bring the boy under his control again. The boy had become competent; if so then let that competence be his downfall.

Albus was sure he could get Severus off with nothing more than a fine because he still had enough blackmail material to convince the Wizengamot. That's why he cast a strong compulsion charm at Severus, with orders to attack anything within distance. Albus had hoped the Granger girl would be hurt by Severus but she had ducked under a table. If she had gotten injured Albus could guilt trip the boy because he had been the one to arrange the warrant.

Albus knew few of the older students would try to bring down the potions master as well. That wasn't much of problem. He was shocked when the boy fired a curse he had only seen maybe once before blowing up Severus wand arm. This sent alarms ringing in his head that he hadn't thought before.

Could the boy have gotten control of his family fortune and library? How could he know such a curse that obviously came from Potter Grimoire? All these changes pointed to one thing, Albus had missed something. Something important because Harry Potter was way too much like a certain young Tom Riddle for his liking. Albus had no idea what.

* * *

"I've found it"! Harry said and dumped a book about half as tall as him onto the coffee table, making Hermione jump.

"Harry! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Hermione said with a hand over her chest. "And found what?"

"The reason," Harry said smiling like a madman and sitting down next to her. "That makes wizards different from Muggles. I found this last night on the Potter Library."

Hermione's eyes snapped to his face. "Potter Library? I thought you couldn't live at the Manor until the renovations were finished. Have you been deliberately keeping me from a library you yourself declared that was at least ten times bigger than the Hogwarts one, Harry James Potter?"

Harry had the decency to look ashamed. "I still can't live there. I just called a Potter elf to Apparate me and back when the librarian found the book I was looking for. I'll take you there later."

"Today."

"What?"

"I want to go today."

Harry sighed. "Fine."

She smiled smugly. "So what's the reason?"

"There's a tablet completely made out of a rare magical material buried somewhere. The book says magic itself once came to the earth so it could write the rules."

"Why though?" Hermione said eyeing the huge book hungrily. "And why is this information relevant?"

Harry's enthusiasm never wavered. "Don't you see? This magical incarnate person had to literally write down the rules for everything! Like why certain phrases activate different things in magic and stuff. The opening chapter reads like the Genesis book of the bible explaining why he did it. Basically the magic person was sick of everyone taking magic for granted and decided to finally put his foot down and take control of things a bit."

"Does it really say magic got sick of everyone abusing magic?"

"No. But that's the gist of it. The book also says whoever wrote the rules first introduced Arithmancy. Not to mention all of the archaic contracts that binds house elves, holding up honor vows and lot more. Do you want to read it?"

He didn't get to finish the sentence as the book had already disappeared from the coffee table into Hermione's hands. Harry grinned seeing the look of intense concentration on her face.

* * *

Hermione's jaw practically dropped to the floor when she saw the castle and the grounds. She'd known the Potters were a rich family, but this!

"What did your family _do?_ " Hermione breathed eyeing the huge marble walls looming over her. "You must be the richest wizard in Britain!"

Harry shrugged. "Pretty much. For your question, my father wasn't the first Potter to marry a Muggleborn. Since a long time ago they've been investing in Muggle businesses, something Pureblood elites refuse to do. This and about a dozen properties and businesses overseas are the result"

"How can you be so calm Harry?" Hermione asked. "You have a fortress as a home almost half as big as Hogwarts, with real cannons too!"

Harry smiled somberly. "It's also very lonely. The elves are fine but they aren't very good conversation. Or companionship."

She threw her arms around him. How could she have been so insensitive? She had to remind herself that Harry was _not_ like other people. He didn't care about wealth, he just saw it as another tool in this world to live. He had even confided in her that he'd give up everything he had to just to meet his parents at least once. She never knew how it was like for him to grow up without his parents and she couldn't even imagine how her life would've been if she didn't have her mum and dad.

"You said you still can't live here," Hermione asked taking Harry's hand and heading towards the entrance hall which closely resembled the Hogwarts one except this one was way more beautiful. "Why is that?"

Harry opened the huge doors and stepped in. Hermione looked around in wonder.

"Voldemort tried to attack here couple of times according to the Daily Prophet," Harry replied. Hermione's eyes widened. "He brought his best and they managed to break through the wards the moment my Mom and Dad were out of the house, they killed my grandparents."

"I'm sorry."

Harry shrugged. It broke her heart when she realized that Harry had looked everywhere for family of any kind and that he had been used to find out that there weren't anyone left.

"Come on," Harry said obviously trying to change the subject. "Library's this way."

* * *

"Gran," Neville Longbottom said shuffling in place nervously. "I have something I need to ask you."

Augusta Longbottom turned from her study and looked at her grandson. Neville took a deep breath. This was going to be harder than he thought.

"I talked with Harry and Hermione about Mum and Dad condition when Harry said his mother was my godmother and mine his." Neville said. "Why did you never say anything?"

Augusta sighed and closed the book she was reading. "Sit down Neville."

He took a seat across on the table of the Longbottom library. He was initially shocked when he found out himself he finally hoped to have some kind of companionship outside of his Gran. It wasn't that he didn't love his Grandmother, it was just that for once he would've liked to have a conversation with someone his age. And it had been provided in the guise of Harry Potter. So he had been disappointed when he was sorted to Gryffindor while Harry went to Ravenclaw. But Harry had actually kept his promise and stayed in contact. And what a conversation it was.

* * *

"Hey Neville!" Harry said plopping down beside him. Neville almost jumped.

"Don't scare me like that!" Neville said. Harry shrugged it off with a grin. He then looked at Neville with a grim expression. "Look Neville. There's something I need to tell you about Professor Snape. Do you know he is a Death Eater?"

Neville dropped his fork and turned to him. "What?"

"He is," The-Boy-Who-Lived replied. "If you'd known the things that man did in the last war…" he shook his head. "Why I'm telling you this is because do you really want to learn Potions from someone that belonged to a group who was responsible for the fate of your parents?"

Neville felt the blood leave his face. The answer was obvious of course. Neville didn't think he could actually learn anything far less concentrate while knowing such a thing. And he needed to pass potions. It was his sole desire in life to become a healer and finally cure his parents. He would research the fact about Snape himself before reaching to a conclusion and he would give a try to the actual class.

"Do you know why he's teaching here?" Neville asked. "Why the headmaster hired him if he was a criminal?"

"That is the million galleon question Neville." Harry said. "I have no idea. Although knowing some of the things our esteemed headmaster had done I'm not that surprised."

Neville narrowed his eyes. "What things? Other than sealing the Potter family will?"

Harry stared at him for a long time as if sizing him up. He had a kind of powerful and intimidating aura that sometimes showed about him that made Neville a bit uncomfortable. Right now it was in full force.

"What is it?" Neville asked unable to take the silence anymore.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Harry asked. "This isn't something that you can just talk about."

Neville immediately understood. He was talking about political secrets. "How about we schedule sometime with my Gran as well. I have a feeling she's going to need to hear this."

"That's…" He seemed to be thinking. "Actually a pretty good idea. I was going to do that sometime later this year anyway."

Neville nodded. And they talked about the time and day for the meeting.

A week later Neville had completely fallen in love with the subject after having one lesson with Harry and his private tutor. The fact that it was attractive lady named Juliet Troughton who was in her twenties made no difference. Mostly. But that wasn't the conversation that made brought up this current one.

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"I was going to Neville," she said all the years now clearly shown on her face. "I was, it was that I couldn't find the young Potter boy after the war was over. I looked everywhere until Albus told me that he was in a safe place. Since I couldn't find him I thought I'd better if you didn't know. After Frank and Alice…"

She sniffled a bit and continued. "After you lost your mum and dad I didn't want to give you anymore false hope. What if young Harry came to Hogwarts wanting nothing to do with you or our family? I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you like that again."

It made sense, sort of. Neville nodded. "Alright. Anyway, Harry suggested trying a muggle method to diagnose and treat mum and dad, and I want to try it."

His gran seemed to be thinking. "Let me think about it. Are you sure there's any muggle methods that can achieve what magic couldn't? I've seen the way they treat a simple broken arm…"

"Both Harry and Hermione assured me there is a completely different set of tools to deal with mind healing." Neville said. "Some things they said were hard to believe but I want to at least try. It couldn't hurt."

"Mr. Potter stopped and talked to me at platform 9 ¾." Augusta said. "He wanted to know if we could schedule a meeting to talk about family business. Do you know what that is about?"

Neville knew. "I know. But I think it's better if you hear it from him."

"I didn't know you two were close."

Neville blushed. "He told me I was one of his best friends. He and Hermione are actually quite fun to hang out with." But that wasn't important right now.

"So you will think about it?"

"Yes."

* * *

"What do you think of Harry, Em?" Dan asked. They were finishing the day in their dental practice, the last patient having just left.

Emma logged out of her PC turning it off. "He's seems like a nice boy. Although how he got that way if what he's told us about his home life is true, I have no idea."

"Do you think he'll be abusive when he gets old?" Dan asked with alarm.

"I think it would've happened already if that was the case, so no. I don't think so." Emma said. "He always so humble and confident at the same time, quite the contradiction. If he was a little bit older I'd think it was an act."

"What if it was?" Dan said. "Hermione said that Harry's just behind her in the year. And we know she's the first."

"She is isn't she? Emma smiled, proud of her daughter. "But does that makes a child, who haven't even passed puberty that devious? I don't think he's that kind of person, besides our Hermione is a good judge of character. She also told me that Harry's teaching her more advanced magic."

"We can't see what she learns anyway," Dan said frustrated. They knew next to nothing of the magical world except for reading in their daughter's letters. "We really should sit them down and have a long talk about that troll and suspected criminals working in staff."

Emma nodded, the thought having passed her mind a couple of times. "What worries me is that Hermione never mentioned the troll or that criminal in any of her letters. If Harry hadn't told us I don't think she ever planned to tell us."

"Can you blame her?" Dan said with a grim expression. "We'll have pulled her out of that place immediately."

"So we aren't going to pull her out?" Emma sat down next to her husband and took his hand. "I'm scared Dan. We've sent our only daughter to another country to learn things that we know absolutely nothing about. And the only reason I could even think about sending her back is because she now at least has someone looking out for her. And the fact that, that person is another eleven year old kid terrifies me! Oh what are we going to do?"

"We'll have another talk with the both of them tonight Em," Dan said reassuringly. "Hopefully we can come to some sort of a solution."

* * *

Emma patted on her husband's shoulder and gestured to the two children who were playing racing game on the console. Harry was teasing Hermione on her lack of control over the car while she did her best to ignore it. Dan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes now." Emma said answering his unasked question. Dan sighed and got up.

"Hermione?" Emma said taking a seat beside them. "Harry? We need to talk to you."

Harry stopped the game seeing the serious look on the two doctors faces. "What is it?"

Dan couldn't get a word out as the doorbell rang. Hermione got up. "I'll check."

She opened the door and seeing who was there stood frozen that Dan had to get up see what caused it. It was one of their neighbors, Matthew Jacobs.

"Matt? What's going on?" Dan asked seeing the angry face of the middle aged man.

"Can I come in Dan?" he asked and Dan nodded. Noticing Harry sitting on the sofa without a care in the world Matthew started the rant he had been building up in his chest.

"Did you know that your daughter and her _friend_ beat up my boy and his friends and left them bleeding on the side of the road?" He asked. And Dan was suddenly living his newly discovered worse nightmare which had previously being his daughter coming home pregnant. Although in Dan's mind Hermione over thirty and married.

"What are you talking about?" Emma asked a bit crossly. "Are you sure Benny didn't embellish? How could two kids do such a thing?"

"My son didn't embellish! You can see for yourself, Benny get in here!" Matthew said and Benny came inside and Dan's stomach dropped at the sight of the black eye and the bandages covering his arms and legs.

Dan turned to his daughter. "Hermione? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Harry suddenly spoke up. "Please sir, don't blame Hermione. This whole thing was my fault."

"Damn right it is!" Matthew said. "I didn't believe Benny when he said that it was you who did it. What are you doing here Mr. Potter? Don't you live with your aunt and uncle?"

Harry tsked. "That is none of your business Mr. Jacobs. Now, did you ask him why the fight broke out in the first place?"

When Matthew tried to speak Harry cut him off. "I suspect not. And I think I know why too. Didn't want you Dad to know you tried to gang up on two kids so that they could be taught a 'lesson' now did you Benny?"

"Listen here you little twerp…"

"Maybe you should learn how to talk in front of children before you start to discipline them Mr. Jacobs." Harry said and Dan's mouth dropped open. "I can see why Benny the way he is. Now what exactly did you come here for? Do you want an apology?"

Matthew as ready to explode, and Dan could understand why. On one hand the dentist was incredibly impressed with the way Harry played on the man's anger and then found a way to take the moral high ground. On the other Dan's earlier suspicions were more or less confirmed except for the fact that Harry was not abusive and behaved the way he did because of the utter helplessness from adults in his childhood. Harry also knew his strengths and weaknesses how to act on them in a way that is beneficial to him and anyone he chooses. Dan couldn't help but think that Harry Potter would do brilliant in politics. He even had a half a mind to introduce the boy to it. What else he realized was that he had severely underestimated the boy's intelligence. And he was more than a bit angry that an eleven year old child had been forced to grow up like this. Dan sighed and gently grabbed the shoulder of the irate father.

"Look Matthew, it's obvious Harry and Benny has a history," Dan said in a tone that his wife called 'the doctor voice'. Dan dragged the man away from the kids' earshot who were currently having a glaring contest. Well Benny was, Harry and Hermione were talking silently in the corner. "They _are_ kids so let's just make them understand why fighting will not be tolerated and move on just this once. I promise I'll have a talk with both of them."

Matthew sighed. "I know Dan, it's just that it breaks my heart to see Benny like that. And this wasn't the first time something like this had happened either. It was just scratches and a black eye today, last time he had his wrist broken."

Dan raised his eyebrow. "Did you know how that happened?"

"Benny refuses to tell me." Matthew said. "So you'll talk to them? I do not want another incident like this."

"I will." Dan assured him. Matthew nodded and grabbed his son's hand. "Come on Benny we're going home."

Dan let out a heavy sigh and retook the seat on the sofa again. Both kids shuffled nervously after they sat down.

"Alright, we'll talk about _that_ later." Dan said. "Now you two we want the whole story about Hogwarts and the magical world. We want to hear everything."

"Everything?" Hermione said twiddling with a throw pillow.

"Everything," Dan confirmed. "Do _not_ leave anything out, because this conversation might decide if you're returning next term or not Hermione."

The-Brightest-Witch-of-Her-Age looked up alarmed. Then turn to Harry for support.

"Okay," Harry said. "You do have a right to know. So here goes."

Then they proceeded to reveal everything they knew about the wizarding world and Dan was left thinking he really shouldn't have asked.


	7. It's All About The Spectacle

-Chapter 7-

 _It's All About the Spectacle_

"Give us one good reason why we should let you go back to _that_ place Hermione." Dan said while Emma nodded vigorously.

She turned to Harry who sat at the very end of the sofa and was trying not to meet her eyes. She really couldn't blame him for telling her parents everything about the wizarding world. And she couldn't blame her parents for asking about it. It was their right after all. But that didn't mean she didn't have to be happy about it.

"Dad, are you asking me to abandon magic? You do realize what that entails right?" Hermione said.

"Memory wiping or not," Emma said. "You can't really expect us for you to go to world where a terrorist group hunted every Muggleborn because they decided they weren't worth living."

Hermione's head snapped to Harry. 'You told my parents about Death Eaters?' she mouthed at him incredulously. What the hell was he thinking?

He stared at her hard. "Would you rather they find out about it after another war started? While we're running for our lives or something?"

"Well," she said still pissed off. "When you put it like that, it sounds pretty bad."

"It _is_ pretty bad Hermione." He insisted. "I had to tell Dan and Emma what they were getting into. If I had the chance I'd tell every Muggleborn's parents there is."

Harry had started calling her parents by their names as calling them Doctor Granger and Doctor Granger was incredibly confusing.

"But-"

"But Hermione has a point too," Harry said cutting her off. "Dan, Emma I highly advise against abandoning magic because Obliviations don't always go according to plan. There's a chance you'd forget everything about your lives. Besides even if your memory's wiped the Ministry will still have a record of you. If another war starts it'd be pretty easy for any Death Eaters to find out about you and come after you. And you'd be defenseless."

"And I don't want to give up magic!" Hermione said a bit hysterical. "I finally know who I am! All those schools I went to before, I was the freak in every one of them!" she said Harry cringe at the word and she frowned. "You can't take that away from me! Please!"

"We understand honey," Emma said kneeling down and hugging her. "We really do, but look at it from our perspective. We were reluctant to send you away before and now knowing that we were right to worry it just, how can we possibly submit our only daughter to that much danger?"

Her dad assumed the same position on her other side. "And Harry himself told us that he can't look after you all the time. You're not really doing much to convince us otherwise either."

"I can take care of myself Dad." She said a bit miffed at being presumed weak and needed looking after.

"I'll say," Harry suddenly said. "There was a bit of name calling and insulting in the first few weeks but after the Snape debacle they've all but stopped."

And they really had. It probably helped that a certain blonde haired Slytherin had warned some of her housemates about what happened on the hallway the other day. Well Slytherin's who listened and had a brain to do something other than finding someone weaker than them and doing their best to antagonize them at a bizarre attempt at being macho.

"Will it help if I told you that your daughter has already mastered a pretty advanced fire curse that can burn dozen men to cinders? I'm not saying she'd really do it -because that would be bad- but she really _can_ do it." Harry added and Hermione gaped at him. "It is quite scary."

"What in Christ's name are they teaching there?!" Emma shrieked.

"No," Harry said in the same neutral tone. "That was all me."

Her mom and dad turned to him at the same time in a one eerie movement. "Excuse me?" they asked in unison.

Harry started backing away on the sofa. "What?"

"You taught our daughter magic that can kill?"

"To be fair most of the stuff we learn in Defense can be used to kill or maim someone."

"You're not helping you case young man!" Emma said her voice stern.

"Alright, alright!" Harry said putting his hands up. "I didn't exactly have a choice you know. She," here he waved dismissively at her direction and Hermione frowned. "Found out about some of the stuff reading for leisure and forced me to teach her or suffer the consequences. And I for one am very comfortable to not know what those are."

Hermione couldn't help but snort at the reading for leisure comment. Harry read spell books for leisure in the same sense as a powerful country building nuclear weapons so when the war eventually break out that can use the missiles as an alternative for chairs if the world ran out of places to sit.

She decided to cut him a break; after all he _had_ shown her the Potter library. Just thinking about it made her eyes go dreamy.

"It's true mom. I did force him to teach me," She said. "He did it under duress."

Dan sighed heavily and took back his seat. "But is it enough?"

"For now," Harry said. "Don't worry Dan, when she and I are done with our magical studies we'd probably be able to give Dumbledore a good fight."

Hermione nodded. "Please mom, dad? I'm a witch. And I like it."

"We'll think about it." Emma said.

* * *

"Order, order in the chamber!" the spokesman called from his position beside the minister of magic. People who were still milling about got seated soon. After the usual flowery introductory speech about the Ancient and Noble families and their lords and ladies the proceedings began. Harry snorted from his seat at the public viewing. Dumbledore looked as calm as ever although Harry wondered how long it would take the old man to see through the medallion with the notice-me-not and glamour charms that Harry was wearing and notice him.

The court then started with a couple of minor cases regarding some property disputes between two families. After that the spokesman said as Snape was brought into the chamber by two Aurors ."Criminal hearing of the eleventh of January into the offenses committed under the Decree for War Crimes by Severus Tobias Snape, resident at number 12, Spinner's End, Cokeworth.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Vernon Jacob Bartlett."

He continued naming the attorney for the defense as Earl Hardy and the prosecution a veteran named Thomas Barker who had been specially called to try this case as it had brought up many forgotten memories of the wartimes twelve years ago. That was why even Harry had to pull a couple of strings to get a seat into public viewing. But personally he thought it was because the Wizarding world had nothing better to do.

Harry grinned at Snape's depressed face. _He must've realized that even if he gets off scot free he wouldn't have a livelihood anymore, far less a right hand!_

 **That little bit of family magic really is dangerous isn't it?** Andy said.

"The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, shown by the new evidence that has been presented to the court, joined the terrorist group known as the Death Eaters led by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and took part in three counts of attacks against wizarding homes. Mr. Hardy your opening statements if you will?"

Earl Hardy a young and upcoming attorney in his twenties with dark blonde hair stood up. "Minister, Madam Bones, Chief Warlock and lords and ladies of the Wizengamot, this trial was called by the so called new evidence brought forth by the widower of the late Mr. Miller and the daughter of the late Parsons and Mr. Gibson claim that my client participated on the attacks on their homes. But as the evidence indicated by the Chief Warlock twelve years ago, my client turned spy to the light side with heavy risk to his own life. But he is being presented here without his right arm, not to mention his livelihood as a potions master, because a child didn't know to leave things to adults that someone like him couldn't possibly understand."

He took back his seat and Harry looked around seeing the contemplative faces of the members. Some were even nodding along with him. Harry smiled. _He's pretty good._

Thomas Barker stood next. After the customary address of the people in the chamber he turned to Snape. "I have to disagree with my colleague as this trial was _not_ called because some kid decided to show up a couple of signed transcripts to our prestigious Auror department. Madam Bones did _not_ call this trial on a whim of a mere boy. I happen to know –as should you as the transcripts of the second interviews conducted via honor vows were given to us- She lead an investigation regarding the claims made by these witnesses. The department found these claims to be completely true and was verified by memory experts at St. Mungos. As for the loss of his arm, he should not have started firing deadly curses inside the Hogwarts great hall where hundreds of children were having their lunch."

Barker sat down after that, leaving the chamber reeling at his statements. Whispers and angry outcries were heard all around and Dumbledore fired off a canon blast charm, bringing back order.

"Defense's case." Dumbledore said.

Hardy stood up again, tugging at his collar. "I call the first witness Mrs. Carly Miller to the stand."

One of the women Harry had met before arriving at Hogwarts stood on the podium to the right. She performed the necessary honor vow and Hardy started questioning her. She started reciting the events of the night, making more than a dozen of the listeners grabbing for handkerchiefs. Harry solemnly watched occasionally glaring at Snape who was wearing a blank face.

"I see." Hardy was saying dabbing at his forehead. "Mrs. Miller you described the assailants as wearing long black robes masks that covered their faces. So how did you identify my client if that was the case?"

Mrs. Miller wiped at her eyes and glared at the attorney. "Because when it was my turn your _client_ removed his mask, I'll never forget the look on his face."

"And you're certain, it was Severus Snape?"

"I _am_ under honor vow," she spat. "Am I not?"

"I apologize. No further questions." Hardy flopped down on his seat. "Your witness."

Barker approached the sniffling woman and gave her a sympathetic look. He then gently guided her through the rest of her story until the Aurors rescued her.

"…the Auror's broke the door down and they all ran away by blowing up the side of our house." She finished and after the Barker said that he had no more questions she was escorted to the waiting room. In the next half hour the other witnesses were examined and cross-examined by the defense and the prosecution. It took a while to calm the chamber down as most of them were already calling for the Veil of Death. Finally it was Snape's turn and the two Aurors who had angry looks on their faces practically stuck the Veritaserum down his throat.

"State your name please." Barker said.

"Severus Tobias Snape." The potions master droned lifelessly.

"You were part of the terrorist group known as the Death Eaters in the time period of 2001 and 2004, correct?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Did you willingly participate in the attacks of the following wizarding houses? The Miller residence, the Parsons Manor and Gibson residence?"

Snape seemed to struggle against the potions effects but said, "Yes."

Chaos erupted in the chamber, but Barker wasn't done.

"Do you agree that the testimonies presented earlier by the survivors of those attacks are correct?"

"Yes."

"Please describe these events in your point of view." He said. And Harry was impressed the way Barker casually dropped a bomb of a question to a person under the influence of Veritaserum.

When Snape began describing the events with the added portion of his own thoughts Harry was seriously regretting the decisions of coming here. He maybe more mature than most children his age but he was still a child and the way Snape lifelessly droned on about his gleeful thoughts as he raped and tortured made him want to hurl. He noticed that more than couple of people in public viewing had already become sick.

Even the prosecutor looked like he wanted kill the bastard himself.

"No further questions." He said through gritted teeth and sat.

Everything was going well but Harry wanted more. Cautiously he pulled out his wand –not his second one he had given the desk at the entrance- his real wand, and contemplated who would serve most well for his purpose. He couldn't risk using any of the attorneys as there was a chance that he might inadvertently harm the case. Members of the Wizengamot were out of the question so that left the public gallery. Picking the most harmless looking person he discreetly cast a Compulsion charm.

The man suddenly stood out shouted out: "What did you do to get your dark mark?"

And Snape having no choice answered the question and Harry made a small victory lap inside his head.

"The dark mark requires the sacrifice of an innocent because it is a direct link to the dark lord himself and he likes to induce pain through it." and another round of outrageous broke out.

"May the public gallery please stop interrupting or we'll be forced to remove you?" Dumbledore said.

 _And now for the second one._ Harry pointed his wand at a different person and sent out another Compulsion charm. The woman stood up and cried: "Is it possible to receive the dark mark while under the Imperious Curse?"

"No. It is impossible." Snape said. "The magic concerning the Dark Mark is all about intent and without that it fails."

The noise got so loud that Dumbledore had to fire half a dozen canon blasts to calm down. And the first thing he did was silence the public viewing. An elderly man from the front of the Wizengamot stood up and addressed the chamber.

"The floor recognizes Lord Austin." Dumbledore said.

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Roger Austin said. "A confirmed Death Eater saying that it is impossible to receive the Dark Mark while under the influence the most dangerous mind control curse in the world raises some alarming questions on what some of the perpetrators testified in the last war, does it not? Those very men and women are seated in this chamber right now, what do they have to say for themselves?"

The members started shouting at once at each other, some supporting Lord Austin some highly opposed.

"The floor recognizes the Steward of House Potter, Gordon Nash." Dumbledore said suddenly and the room was suddenly silent. It seemed that Harry had severely underestimated the influence of House Potter in the wizarding world.

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Nash, a traditionalist but a non-believer in blood purity spoke in a deep voice. "House Potter absolutely agrees with Lord Austin on this matter. Surely the Wizengamot should revisit those testimonies? Or are we going skip over the trials that we should've held in the first place?"

Nash pointedly stared at the Malfoy senior who sneered at him.

"I concur." Madam Bones said. "What say you Chief Warlock? Minister?"

"I hardly think that is necessary!" Fudge blustered. "There is no need to drag respectable citizens of our community into this and muddy their names just on the ravings of a one criminal."

Harry held his breath trying to guess how Dumbledore would respond. He was sure that there was a reason for Dumbledore not insisting on retrials when the war ended. He suspected that it was partly because of Snape and partly because of Harry's godfather Sirius Black. If Dumbledore had hosted retrials Sirius's status as prisoner held without a trial and investigations might come to light and that would mean that the headmaster wasn't Harry's magical guardian anymore.

 **Now who's the paranoid one?** Andy said disturbing his train of thought.

 _But it's the only thing that makes any sense._ Harry said. _Dumbledore maybe a creepy old man with unknown grand schemes that messes with my life but for all he's done, he's still a light wizard. At least I hope so._

 **I guess.** Andy said still not convinced.

"I think it is in everybody favor that we finish up this trial now and address the other issue at a later date," Dumbledore finally said. "Preferably in a proper Wizengamot session and not in the middle of a criminal hearing."

Some shouted, 'Hear, hear!' and Harry saw more than a few people breathing out in relief.

 _Nice. He just brought them enough time so they can buy the necessary votes to make sure the retrials never happens._ Harry said silently seething. Still, after today there will be one more Death Eater behind bars.

"The Interrogators will now decide the sentence for the crimes committed by Severus Snape." The spokesperson announced and a privacy bubble went around the panel.

Harry, like the others waited in held breath, while the people in charge decided the vile man on fate. When they were finally done Harry noticed that Dumbledore looked unexpectedly down.

"All those in favor of the Veil of Death for the convict?" he said and almost all of the wands went up.

"All those in favor of life sentence in Azkaban?" About a dozen wands went up.

"So shall it be!" Dumbledore said dropping the gravel. "Severus Tobias Snape you will be pushed through the Veil of Death midnight tonight. Court adjourned!"

Harry slumped against the chair sighing in relief.

 _Boy these things are pretty stressful._

 **That they are,** Andy agreed. **And how about we get the hell out of here before Dumbledore spots us?**

 _Good idea._ Harry said and disappeared through the crowds, heading towards the floos.

* * *

Harry flooed to his house to check renovation process and called an elf to pop him to school before Dumbledore arrived there. He refused to call the creatures by the name 'house elf' as that went against his very being. He remembered when Hermione found out about them.

 _Some time ago…_

"Harry how have you been going in and out of school?" she asked looking up from her book. "You're still eleven years old so you can't Apparate and you can't Apparate inside Hogwarts anyway, and all the floos are under the supervision of the headmaster and Professor McGonagall and Portkeys don't work inside the school either so how?"

"I just ask an elf to pop me where I want." Harry said simply.

Her eyes lit up. "You mean the High Elves? How did you get one of them to pop or whatever? And what is pop anyway?"

"If I know anything about you, you're not going to like this." Harry said. "Technically their name is 'House Elf'. Given to them because they serve wizarding families and their entire species got renamed because of their profession. How sick is that? These pureblood wizarding families are so lazy that they wouldn't risk a finger to help themselves if their body was on fire and a house elf was around to help them."

"What exactly are you saying?"

Harry got up and looked around the library for a book about magical creatures. He showed a picture of an elf to Hermione. "They're slaves Hermione. In every sense of the word they're slaves to the wizardkind." Harry said. "These people have found a way to enslave a race that is fully self-aware, with communication skills and everything."

Hermione was speechless. Her eyes finally snapped to him. "You said you asked an elf to pop you to where you want. Doesn't that imply that you own one too?"

Harry sat down. "Actually Potter family owns dozens of them."

"So why haven't you set them free!?" Hermione practically shrieked.

"Don't you think that was my first instinct as well?" Harry asked a bit hurt that she would think he was someone like that. "When I first found out about them I asked them how I could set them free. And suddenly they're all weeping and hurting themselves. I did a bit of research and found that they actually need to be bonded to master to live or they die."

"That's-that's barbaric!" Hermione said meekly. "And I'm sorry for implying you'd willingly use slaves Harry."

"It's alright." Harry said sighing. "But I guarantee you finding a way to free elves from that cruel contract is on my agenda."

"What agenda?" she asked curious.

Harry grinned. "Now that would be telling…"

 _Now…_

The headlines were something to see. **SEVERUS SNAPE PUSHED THROUGH THE VEIL OF DEATH!** Some reporter named Rita Skeeter had masterfully written a piece attacking everything and everyone she could think of. She blamed the Ministry for not holding the proper trials after the war, Dumbledore for hiring a violent and sick Death Eater to teach children and the DMLE for not arresting Snape sooner.

But what made Harry spit out the pumpkin juice he was drinking all over the Ravenclaw breakfast table was something at the very end. Thankfully it was still very early and the table was absent of three quarters of its normal population.

… _not until an anonymous letter found its way to the head of the DMLE that the investigation finally began. This reporter is pleased to say that it's writer was none other than Harry Potter-The-Boy-Who-Lived. Further investigations revealed that he personally interviewed every victim of the attacks and convinced them to testify._

 _While unsurprising that our hero would still try to get justice for the witches and wizards that were harmed in the last blood war, it is quite alarming that our government needed an eleven year old boy to do the work that they should've done years ago. When asked an opinion from our Minster Cornelius Fudge he was at first reluctant to answer…_

It then continued on with the story with Fudge's flimsy excuses and a summary of the trial. Harry wiped his face and vanished the spilled juice.

 _How in the freaking hell did this Skeeter find out I was the one who sent the letter?_

 **I don't know,** Andy said. **But there are dozens of methods to eavesdrop in magic.** **If this was the muggle world I would bet she'd have used a parabolic mic or something. But they don't work here.**

 _Sure there are ways to eavesdrop but I wrote that damn letter in my dorm room in school!_ Harry said. _If a simple reporter can get in and out without our headmaster knowing is alarming._

 **It's also possible that she spied on Madam Bones when she was opening the letter.**

 _True. I didn't think of that. Still it is a hell of a coincidence._

In minutes the Great Hall started to fill and Hermione sat down next to him, snatching up a piece of toast and the Daily Prophet that was in front of him.

"So that's where you disappeared to yesterday," Hermione said beaming at him. "Nicely done Harry. Headmaster didn't notice you?"

"Nope," Harry said. "I have another meeting today with a family friend named Remus Lupin."

"You really have to be careful Harry." She said. "What if someone find out? You'd be expelled!"

"You know I won't be Hermione." He replied. "I don't really need anyone's permission to leave school."

She huffed. "That kind of attitude will really get you into trouble. Honestly Harry!"

He observed her angrily staring at the Daily Prophet, her bushy hair failing all over.

 _Andy,_ he asked. _When did Hermione reading the paper and having breakfast become a familiar sight to me? It's almost… I daresay –domestic._

 **Is that a bad thing**?

 _I don't think so._ He said and stopped her accidently dropping a piece of toast to her pumpkin juice. He grabbed her hand while she struggled halfheartedly pull away.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked gently.

She gave him a look.

"Stupid question," he said with a chuckle. "You know I'm careful Hermione. I know what's at stake."

She sighed. "It's just- if you were somehow expelled I'd be all alone here! My parents might be well off but I don't think they could honestly afford another school by moving to France or something."

"I told you," he said. "I won't get expelled."

"But what if you did?" she asked her eyes ablaze. "You can't honestly know everything about wizarding world Harry, no matter how hard you try to correct that fact. We've been in this world for barely six months! There's always someone who'd know more."

"You're correct of course," he replied. "But in those six months we've done accomplished things than most people in this backwards, stuck-in-the-twentieth-century world. It's that lack of knowledge made us keep our minds open and accepts the facts as they were presented to us. It's why we succeeded Hermione. It's why we will be the ones to save the world. Or am I wrong?"

She opened her mouth to respond but no sound came out. Then finally she grinned. "You know, you'd be a good politician."

"I'd be a horrible politician Hermione." He said glad that she hadn't fallen for his speech. "My conversation skills hang up when I'm in front of a huge crowd, unless I'm doing something proactive."

"Like saving a cute redhead from a mean Death Eater?" she asked in a quiet voice, not looking at him.

Harry bit his lip in an effort to stop smiling. "Yes." He said and her head snapped back to him. He grinned at her. "Don't worry I like saving cute bushy haired girls too."

He stood up and headed towards the exit with a blushing a girl beside him.

* * *

Remus Lupin read the letter again while sipped his crazy expensive on the house tea. He had received it while he was delivering some… goods from Mexico to a special buyer in USA. It included a reservation at a very exclusive restaurant called the _Golden Phoenix_. Talk about being pretentious.

It was a place that Remus -with his tattered and old clothes due to his furry little problem- did not belong. And Merlin did it show. One would think, a young, capable and educated handsome man like himself would've been right at place and he could just imagine being said by Sirius or James just to rile him up. His expression darkened at the thought. And why wouldn't it? One was dead way before his time and the other one caused it. He sighed and looked at the letter again.

 _Mr. Lupin,_

 _It has come to my attention that you have a certain set of skills that some might find very useful. I think it would be in both of our interest if we could meet and talk. Don't waste this opportunity._

It wasn't even signed. So he couldn't investigate who this mystery person was. He checked his watch and saw that it was closer to eight pm. And right on time a man entered, making him tense like never before. He was wearing a nondescript robe that wasn't that much expensive but it didn't look cheap either. He had long dark hair that fell over his shoulders and was wearing muggle sunglasses. And everything about him was just _off_.

He sat in front of him without a word. "Remus Lupin?" a gruff voice asked.

Suddenly Remus was hit with the scent of the man, and he was almost doubled over with the recognition. Ignoring where he was Remus grabbed the man by his throat, the wolf inside roaring in bloodlust.

"You have five seconds to tell me why you smell like Harry Potter or I'll swear to Merlin I will end you!" he growled.

"Now that's interesting," the man said calmly sending alarm bells ringing all over Remus' head. "How could someone's sense of smell distinguish between two people?"

"What did you do to him?!" Remus said and slammed the man against the wall while an old lady inside the diner screamed. He noticed more than a couple of wands aimed in his direction but he didn't care. Albus may have forbidden him from making contact with Harry but if he was in danger there was no way Remus was going to just stand by. He lifted the man higher and tightened his grip.

"Hmm…" the man said, not even bothered by the strong hand groping his throat. "I tied him to a chair and forced him to watch one of those non-stop advertisement channels all day."

 _Wait, what?_

"Huh?" Remus asked dumbly.

"God… adults are so easy to fool." the man rolled his eyes and put his hand inside his robe and brought out a medallion. He pressed it and suddenly Remus wasn't holding anyone and an eleven year old stood in front of him smiling at him smugly.

"Are you the one I remember called Mooey?" Harry Potter asked, crossing his arms.

* * *

It took a while to convince the restaurant that kerfuffle before was just a misunderstanding but it took less than ten seconds to convince them not to tell anyone that Harry Potter was here. And Remus watched in a bit of awe while people came up to the Boy-Who-Lived and congratulated or thanked him for his actions in the yesterday's trial.

"What trial are they talking about pup?" Remus asked finally when the introductions were done.

"Pup?" Harry asked with a raised brow.

"It's what we called you when you were little." Remus said smiling when Harry's blushed. "So what trial?"

"I think it's better if you read about it in today's paper." He said. "Now for the reason we're here. My godfather told me to find you, told me you were a family friend."

Remus froze. "Did you say 'godfather'? Did you mean-Sirius Black?"

"Who else?" Harry said chuckling. "Of course Sirius Black. Before you start saying anything about him betraying my parents and other stuff, you should read this."

He pushed a folder to Remus who opened it and read it in incredibly speed before slamming it close.

"Did you just give me my best friend back?" Remus asked.

"Best friend?" Harry said and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. "Damn I'm good."

Remus swallowed the tightness in his throat. Harry was just so pure James with Lily's eyes.

"I'd hug you," Remus said. "But I'm afraid these good people will mistake it again for assault."

"Quite." Harry replied.

They stared at each other for a second then burst out laughing. The all the mirth disappeared from Harry's face.

"Mr. Lupin-"

"Remus please."

" _Remus_ , do you know what happened to my sister?" he asked.

Remus did a double take. _His what?_

"Your what?"

"Sister," Harry said pushing another folder towards him. "Elizabeth Lillian Potter, that and a couple of pictures are the only proof of her I've been able to find. Do you know where she is?"

Remus felt a sharp pain in the back of his head like something's trying real hard to get out but couldn't.

"I-I don't-"

"Obliviation," Harry said somberly. "Son of a bitch! I'll explain everything later now we should eat."

They both ordered and Remus couldn't help but tease Harry when the young waitress gushed over Harry. They ate in comfortable silence, until Harry broke it almost making Remus choke.

"You know," Harry said pointing a fork at him. "Hermione would probably go nuts if she learns you were a werewolf, she'd have so many questions for you… hell I have about a thousand questions for you…"

After preventing his death by hurriedly drinking a cup of water, he gaped at Harry. "How did you know I was a werewolf?"

"Your enhanced ability to identify scents, tattered clothes, my nickname for you which probably means Moony," he said shrugging. "It was kind of obvious."

"Figures you'd inherit Lily's brain."

"You knew my parents then?" Harry asked timidly.

Remus nodded. "We were all friends in school…"

He then continued to reminisce about his school life as Harry listened intently.

"If you've found your parents will then why isn't Sirius free yet?" Remus finally asked when he was done.

"I'll tell you," Harry said. "But you're not going to like it."

A/N: I was bored yesterday and deciding to do something drastic checked out some Draco/Hermione fanfiction- you know the worst fucking part of this site. I actually thought those fics would entail Hermione and Draco somehow ending up stuck in some kind of enclosed space to an extended period of time undoubtedly owing to some adult forcing them to the and then somehow- romance happens? A few fics in I realized that I was absolutely right to think that and most of them involve boiling down one of most toughest and driven female characters in Harry Potter verse and sticking her into a needy and submissive relationship with a complete asshole. The sex felt like reading a rape scene between Hermione and some death eater. Oh wait. Anyway thanks for reading.


	8. Come Fly With Me

-Chapter 8-

 _Come Fly With Me_

"Ah… Harry," Dumbledore's voice came through the door. "Come in."

The-Boy-Who-Lived pushed open the door and walked in his eyes scanning everywhere. He had known this was bound to happen sooner or later. The inevitable call to the headmaster's office. Although he had hoped it would happen because he had accidently dropped one or two bullies out of the astronomy tower or something. Not a note through Professor McGonagall requesting a meeting to talk about an unspecified topic. He was tempted to invoke a school policy regarding non-educational meetings with the headmaster that allowed him a professor as an escort or legal counsel. But he didn't want to tip the headmaster off of the things he had been doing since getting emancipated. Besides he was sure the headmaster would somehow include something educational to denounce the policy anyway.

"Found the way here without any trouble I hope?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." Harry said and sat down on the offered seat.

"Lemon drop?" the headmaster said presenting a bowl of the candy.

"No thank you." He replied. He spotted a large red bird. "Is that… a _phoenix_?"

"Why yes," Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling. Harry shifted in his seat uneasily. "Fawx has been my familiar for nearly a century now."

"Cool." Harry said appreciatively. "So why am I here sir?"

"We're here to talk about you constantly being absent in the history of magic classroom Harry." Dumbledore said. "Your nonattendance to essential lessons is quite unacceptable. Not only to the school but for your education as well."

"I think I'll get by just fine sir." Harry said.

"Nevertheless you must attend." Dumbledore said. "Now with that business over, Mr. Potter please tell me why you contacted the DMLE on Professor Snape. He has been a trusted friend and staff member of Hogwarts and now because of your actions he has been feasted on by a Dementor."

"Hmm… are we done with the educations part of our conversation headmaster?" Harry asked. When Dumbledore made to answer he stood up and headed towards floo. "You don't mind if I use the floo? Of course not!"

He put some powder in. "Kirkland, Peterson and Waller! Please tell Mr. Kirkland to come through this floo."

"Mr. Potter what do you think you're doing?" Dumbledore asked.

"If you want to continue this conversation I'm going to have insist on my legal counsel being present as the educational part of it is over. So you'll have to open the floo sir." Harry said. "Or I could just go back to my dorm."

Harry stared hard at him, daring him to do something. He was very well aware that Dumbledore had the ability to lock him in this room and keep talking. But he hoped that the headmaster wasn't that stupid.

"Alright." He said finally waving his wand at the fireplace. Harry grinned inwardly.

Thomas Kirkland came bustling in. He took one look at Harry and then at Dumbledore.

"He wants to talk about Snape's trial." Harry explained.

"Mr. Dumbledore what's the meaning of this?" the tall well developed Muggleborn said. "You are very well aware that all non-school related meetings should not happen without proper legal counsel."

"Mr. Kirkland was it?" Dumbledore said. "It was just a simple conversation that is all. Nothing to cause such a fuss about."

"Mr. Snape's trial was not a simple matter." Kirkland said. "It was a huge criminal investigation that is still going on, you-especially you- being the head of the Wizengamot cannot talk about the case with a witness."

"Exactly Mr. Thomas," Harry said with hands behind his back. "That's what I was going to say. Now is there anything else? I'm sure my legal counsel has other matters he needs attending to and I have homework."

Dumbledore stared at both of them hard and then pinned Harry with his twinkling eyes. Harry immediately felt the soft Legimency probe. Not believing his luck Harry dropped first line of defense to his mind. Harry heard Andy laughing when Dumbledore stopped at the black wall and started prodding in puzzlingly.

 **Get lost Dumbledore**. Andy growled and Dumbledore pulled out quickly. Harry glared at the headmaster. "Illegal Legimency probe in front of my legal counsel? Are you stupid or what?"

Dumbledore eyes widened.

"Mr. Dumbledore," Kirkland said. "You've crossed a line. Will we be pressing charges sir?"

"Of course." Harry said.

"Expect your solicitors an owl from my firm." He said. "I think this conversation is over."

After he left Harry headed towards the door. When he found it locked he turned around. "You'd better open this door Dumbledore. Or do you want to add kidnapping to your list of charges?"

That had the door open in a second. Harry swallowed a smile and ran down the stairs.

* * *

The rest of the term went quietly, well what qualifies for quiet for Harry Potter anyway. He met with Remus every chance he got and listened to stories about his parents. Professor Sinistra Aurora took over as head of the Slytherin house and Dumbledore hired Harry's private tutor to teach whole school, an action that led parties late into the night. Erick Short the DADA tutor the headmaster had hired after the untimely death of Quirrell. Professor Short left the moment he had finished the curriculum for everyone. The rumor was that someone had warned the teacher that there was something wrong with the post, and he had bailed before the sun had risen.

And before he and Hermione knew it, the last term tests had arrived. They both increased the durations of their study periods. Harry was proficient in practical but lacked a bit on the theory side and he focused on that while Hermione did the opposite. Harry had met with the Longbottoms and gotten their support for Sirius' trial that was looming in the distance.

It was the day before the last exam History of Magic Harry sat on the Ravenclaw table having Dinner when a regal looking owl flew in heading towards the Slytherin table and dropping the letter in front of Draco. Harry watched like the half the hall as it was unusual time for owl mail. While Malfoy checked his mail Harry had a damning realization that Hogwarts was like a suburban village where the neighbors exist so that they can enjoy sticking their noses in other people's business just to satisfy their own insignificant lives. And that Harry was currently doing the exact same thing. He snapped his attention back to his meal, shuddering at the thought.

"Potter," a voice came from behind him after about a minute. Harry turned around and his eyes widened seeing Malfoy standing their without his posse, and the whole school staring at them.

"Malfoy?" Harry asked. "What do you want?"

"Can we talk? Alone?" he said.

After a quick conversation with Andy and a reassuring look at Hermione, Harry stood up. "Alright."

They exited the great hall towards an empty classroom. Harry casted some simple privacy charms.

"What is it Malfoy?" he asked crossing his arms.

Draco passed the letter he received earlier to Harry who read it. It was a notice from Gringrotts declaring that he was banished from the Black family. Harry had to stop himself from smiling.

"This was your doing, Potter." It wasn't a question.

"What makes you think so?" Harry asked.

Draco frowned. "There are two people who have claim to the Black estate in this school. Me and you since the last Black heir got himself locked up in Azkaban."

"I'm confused Malfoy," Harry said. "Why the sudden civility? Knowing you I'd have expected you to stomp your foot and go crying to you daddy."

Draco glared at him. "You watch your mouth Potter. At any rate this is family business and unlike some we don't air our dirty laundry to the whole school."

Harry chuckled remembering the day when Ron Weasley received the howler from his mother. "Please don't compare me to the likes of _him_ of all people."

The blonde grinned. "I understand. I may not be able to stand you or the people you hang out with but even I have to admit, nice job with our head of house. That was s move worthy of a Slytherin."

It seemed like it was the end of times to Harry as Draco Malfoy had just given him a compliment. "Who exactly did you steal a brain from Malfoy? Besides wasn't he your godfather or something?"

Draco crossed his arms, copying Harry. "Just because he was my godfather it didn't make him likable Potter. And you stuck it good to that old Muggle loving fool Dumbledore. That's always a plus in my book."

"You _can_ think for yourself!" Harry said. "For a while there I was worried that you were one of the many sheep in this goddamn school. Or do you still think you're superior because come from a pureblood family?"

"That is irrelevant right now." Draco said.

"Alright, let's drop the crap." He said. "What is this? What do you want?"

Draco straightened. "I want you to stop this banishment from finalizing. At least stop mine. And I'll swear a wizard's oath to stay out of your way from now on."

"Not much of a reward really," Harry said. "You're more like a fly that just doesn't take a hint and keep annoying me and my friends."

"Look!" Draco said his voice taking a desperate edge. "I _need_ this Potter. It's my only chance to-" he trailed off. "Just tell me what I need to do to make this to happen."

"Oh you really shouldn't have given me free rein over you like that." Harry said.

"Doesn't that tell you the importance of this matter?"

"It could," The-Boy-Lived-Said wondering why Andy was being silent. "Or maybe you're just stupid."

"For fucks sake Potter why can't you give me this one thing?" Draco exclaimed. "You broke both my fucking leg and arm before you left for Christmas last term! If I'd reported it you would have been expelled!"

Harry glared at him; his eyes flashing once making Draco take a step back. "That was me teaching you important fact of life you idiot! That your actions have consequences. Or did you think attacking my best friend when her back is turned would go unpunished?"

"Nevertheless," Draco replied regaining his composure. "I still have the ability to get you expelled Potter. Be glad I haven't told the headmaster yet."

Harry smiled maliciously. "Are you expecting me to be grateful? A thank you note maybe? Oh you self-important little wanker, I could give less of shit if I get fucking expelled or not. The only reason you're not dead right now is because the first person who the Aurors would come after is me! And I don't want to drag Hermione into trouble for just because of some prick like you."

"Like you have it in you!" Draco huffed.

Harry's grin widened. "Do you really want find out?"

The blonde Slytherin swallowed. "Look can't you just cancel this banishment? I'll even promise to be your servant or something until I'm graduated."

"Why do you want this so badly Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"That's private."

"You do realize that you'll never inherit the Black estate right? It's still in Sirius Black's name. The only thing you'll be getting is a monthly allowance and the ability to change your last name to Black if you wanted to. Is that what this is all about? Some extra money and a name? Thanks for reinforcing my initial thoughts on you Malfoy. Jesus!"

"Who's that?" Draco asked absently.

"Not important. I'm not doing anything just so you could further your family coffers and continue to destroy this already backward world." He said and headed towards the door. "What a waste of time."

"My father wanted to teach you a lesson," Draco suddenly said. "He wanted me to ask some of the older students to take Granger and… you know."

The temperature in the room suddenly dropped, and the furniture started to shake slightly. Harry turned his eyes glowing with magic.

"What?" he asked in a low voice.

"Isn't our school's motto Don't Tickle Sleeping Dragons?" He said the familiar sneer returning. "Did you expect for my father to just forget about an attack on his house?"

"Just a bit of advice," Harry said emotionlessly. "If you want something from me, threaten _me_. Not my friends."

In a flash the raven haired boy had his hand wrapped around Draco's right wrist. He twisted it until a wand clattered to the floor. Harry kicked it away and grabbed him by the throat.

"Let's just say for fun that I refuse to cancel the banishment," Harry said ignoring the pained moans from the boy. Draco struggled trying to hit Harry everywhere he could. He had suffered so much in his young life and Draco's slaps felt like an annoying tickle to him. "What would you've done? Would you've gone along with your father's little order?"

Harry dropped the boy pushing him to the wall. Bringing up his wand he said, " _Legilimens!_ "

In seconds he pulled out sick to his stomach, dropping the blond who was coughing uncontrollably. Draco would've done it and he would've rationalized as Harry's fault and he had expected that. What had made him sick was that Draco seemed to harbor some kind of admiration for Hermione and her smart, driven nature. And despite that he was willing to do anything to achieve his goal, which was to get away from his father. Apparently Draco didn't like being ordered around.

Harry wanted to hospitalize the bastard for even considering the idea of hurting his best friend, but he stopped realizing that Draco did have a point. It _was_ his fault that Hermione was in this situation. He had just mowed over everyone who stepped in front of him without even thinking about consequences to others. He was prepared to handle any attacks on himself but his friends? That was totally different ballgame. And for a brief moment he remembered that he was nothing more than an eleven year old boy with a bit of money and power hoping to change a world. That thought was immediately squashed when he remembered the look of the survivors from Snape's victims in the last war. The intense look of satisfaction that the justice has been finally delivered. An expression that Harry could focus his entire future on to make sure happened more. His smile was predatory.

"I'll cancel the banishment Draco," Harry said opening the door. "But there'll be a magically binding contract so I know you won't be double crossing me."

He paused a bit. "Oh and just to be clear, come near me or my friends again and you'll see why Professor Quirrell isn't here anymore."

* * *

Wind howled wildly making her long black hair spiral around her face obscuring her vision somewhat. She experimentally extended her foot outward and retrieved it immediately. _Damn it's hard to balance like that._

"Elizabeth!" a male voice cried in the distance. She shook her head in exasperation.

"What?" she called out without turning around.

"What the hell are you doing up here?!"

This time she did turn around.

"Trying to fly of course." She said grinning.

Her best friends Sammy was panting heavily his brown hair matted to his forehead with sweat. He held out his hand. "Liza please come down from there, it's dangerous."

"I can't." she said. "I think I need to be in some kind of height to do it, the last time I was on the roof of my house."

"Jesus Christ, Elizabeth, you can't fly!" Sammy cried.

"How do you explain I got down from the roof that day then?" she challenged, forcing down a smile. "I fell, and instead of breaking all my bones I just floated like a feather to the ground. Conclusion, I'm supergirl-"

"No, conclusion: don't stand near precarious ledges!" Sammy said. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Hearing voices coming from below her, she narrowed her eyes to get a better look.

The school yard that was empty a minute ago was now almost filled to the brim, all of them pointing at her and whispered. _Don't they have classes?_ It was one of the reasons she decided to try this now instead of at home.

"Someone call nine-nine-nine!" one girl said.

"Oh my god she's just little kid!" another said.

Some upperclassman that she recognized as one of the brainless jocks shouted, "Don't jump! You have so much to live for!"

"Oh shut up you idiot, I'm not going to jump!" she shouted back.

"What are you up there for then?"

"I'm trying to find out the best height to throw over arseholes like you!" she cried and some students started laughing which was cut short abruptly as the headmaster entered the yard.

"Ms. Wright?" he said seeing her. "What do you think you're doing up there? That's dangerous! Get down from there this instant!"

"Very nice Mr. McCoy!" she said chuckling. "You find a possible suicide victim and the first thing you do is to chastise them for climbing onto a dangerous ledge? You're going to do so well as a headmaster."

Elizabeth Lillian Wright was not going to jump, like she had told Sammy whatever this weird ability of hers needed her to be in a high altitude to activate. She glanced at the ground thirty feet below and leaned back, recalling how she had felt during last time. A smile came to her face as she sensed her feet no longer touching the ground. She her screams and gasps all around. She looked down at the top floor of the building and grin threatened to break her face when she realized that she was at least five feet above the ground. She willed herself to move away from the ledge enjoying the look of shock plastered across Sammy's face.

She wanted move more but the door to the roof was suddenly thrown open and her big sister came running out heading for her with a panicked expression. When Rose saw that Elizabeth was actually flying her panic turned into shock, and then she started chuckling softly.

"Oh my god Liza! I thought you were lying that day!" she said. "You're actually flying!"

Elizabeth felt a sudden tiredness set in and her floating height dropped a bit. "This is tiring me out, catch me?" she asked before completely plummeting from the sky. Thankfully Rose's welcoming hands caught her before she fell to the hard concrete floor.

"Thanks," she said her eyes heavy. "Now all I need a cape."

"Don't ever do that!" Rose cried. "I was so scared!"

She mock saluted before passing out.

* * *

Elizabeth dreamt about the little baby boy with green eyes again. He was riding on top of a huge black dog while a red headed woman and a man with glasses and messy hair watched. The dream suddenly changed someone yelling. A woman. Then the voice was gone and a green light was covered the whole room. She shot out of the bed drenched in sweat.

"That was…new." She muttered.

Wiping away her perspiration she took in her surroundings. She was in the school infirmary, and she slowly remembered how she came to be here and smiled. She flew. She actually flew! She squealed in excitement and a nurse came bustling in to the sound.

"Brilliantly executed stunt you pulled there Ms. Wright." The nurse said smiling. "Even I was convinced. And you sister just left."

Her smile froze on her face. "What do you mean _stunt_? You realize I was actually flying?"

The nurse rolled her eyes checking Elizabeth's temperature. "You're still sticking to it? Ms. Wright, your partner explained everything when the police came to check. He told them how you used an experimental wire spring to make it look like you were actually flying."

Elizabeth gaped at the nurse. _A freaking wire spring?_

"So who is this partner of mine I never heard of?" she asked.

Nurse shrugged. "Dunno, he was talking with the headmaster last I saw him. He also said to get him immediately when you wake up. And you stay here while I go and get him."

The raven haired girl plopped back down on her bed crossing her arms. _What was going on?_

In five minutes the door opened and the nurse entered with a boy about the same age as her. He had messy black hair, emerald green eyes and a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. He whispered something to the nurse and she nodded walking out of the room.

Elizabeth eyed the boy critically. "Alright, who are you?"

The boy shuffled nervously from one foot to another. "Harry Potter."

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?" she asked. "I never met you before in my life and apparently you told the whole school that my very _real_ flying event was an elaborate stunt."

"That was very smart thing you did," He said. "Showing the whole world that you've a supernatural ability that lets you fly. Haven't you seen any superhero movies ever? Do you _want_ to be whisked off to some lab to experiment on?"

"Who the hell are you to tell me my business?" she snapped. "Besides that stuff only happens in movies."

"Really?" he said and pulled out what looked like a piece of wood. He pointed it at his hand and whispered something. Elizabeth's mouth dropped open when a small ball of blue fire appeared on his hand. He showed it to her and squashed his hand extinguishing the flame. He then pointed the stick at a nearby vase and it turned into a candleholder. With another flick of the stick he turned it back.

"Imagine if the world knew that there was someone with the ability to do things like that." He said. "How do you think they'll react?"

"W-What are you?" she asked a bit of fear creeping in.

"I'm the same as you," he said smiling. "Elizabeth Lillian Wright, I'm a wizard and you're a witch."

Several minutes passed in silence and Elizabeth swore she heard crickets.

"Har har har," she said mockingly. "Not funny. How did you do that? Some chemical formula? The vase was some kind of light trick right?"

"Alright, how did you fly then?"

"I don't know a form of telekinesis maybe."

The boy who called himself Harry Potter sighed exasperatedly.

"Hermione was right," he muttered to himself. "Even if I took a selfie with a dragon you wouldn't believe me."

"I wouldn't." she agreed.

"How to prove it then?" he seemed to be thinking. Finally he pointed the stick at the door and said something.

"Kippy!" he shouted and Elizabeth fell off her bed when a creature about three feet high with huge ears and eyes literally materialized in the middle of the room. Her ability to scream had deserted her and she watched in a mixture of horror and fascination the extraordinary scenes happening in front of her. The creature bowed deeply.

"Master Harry called Kippy?" it squeaked.

"Kippy," he said grinning. "I finally found Lady Potter."

A possible magical creature or not that was not a comment Elizabeth was going to pass easily.

"Lady Potter? Listen you weirdo if you're hoping of marrying me-" she said angrily.

He waved his hands frantically. "Oh no no no, I meant that I found my long lost sister!"

"Just what I thought," she said. "You're completely crazy."

She contemplated her situation. "When I think about it, I think I'm crazy too because there's a greenish little creature standing in the infirmary crying its eyes out."

"Or I could be an alien." Harry offered.

"Or you could be an alien." She agreed.

He shook his head. "Look this is going nowhere. Kippy could you just Apparate both Ms. Wright and I to her house?"

The creature nodded so hard that she feared that his head would come off. Without a warning it grabbed her hand and the boy's she felt like she was being forced through a plastic tube that was five sizes too small. The tiled ground beneath her fell away and in seconds she was standing on her front lawn.

"See I told you, I'm a wizard." Harry said. "And no it wasn't teleportation technology that is common on my home world."

This time she passed out for completely different reasons.

* * *

Elizabeth heard soft voices talking in the background. One voice she recognized as her father's suddenly rose in volume.

' _Are you taking us for a fool young man? Don't you think we'd know our own daughter?'_

A voice replied.

' _Again with that wizard rubbish, I admit the fire and the throw pillow trick was pre_ tty impressive." He said. "But you can't honestly expect us to believe all that crap about you being her long lost brother? And there we come back to the crux of the issue. Our daughter isn't adopted! I was in the operation chamber when she was being delivered for Christ's sake, why are we even talking about this?"

Elizabeth rose up from her spot at the couch. "Mom…Dad… what's going on?"

"Liza, please explain to us why you're suddenly home?" her mother Sarah asked.

"I don't know." She said dizzily. "I think Golem teleported us here."

Spotting the boy she pointed at him. "You! What are you-"

"Hello Elizabeth," he said. "If magic doesn't exist then why don't _you_ explain to your parents how you flew today?"

"I told you it might've been a form of telekinesis."

"You're both kidding right?" her dad Scott Wright asked.

"No that one's true." she replied.

"How about I do a glamour charm for you?" Harry said and pointed the stick at himself. Elizabeth felt the doubt in her mind disappear as Harry face suddenly transformed in front of their eyes. He now had long blond hair with startling grey eyes and a completely different facial structure.

"Oh." was all she said.

"Seriously? I turn a pillow to a hedgehog and create blue fire out of nowhere," he said. "And an appearance change is what convinces you?"

He tapped his stick on his face couple of times and he was back to normal again. "Magic is real. There's a whole world hidden…"

She took the documents with shaking hands and started reading. And indeed, according to what seems to be her _real_ parent's last will and testament she was really Elizabeth Lillian Potter, the raven haired boy's long lost twin sister. And her mom and dad weren't really her mom and dad. She stared up at Harry angrily, wishing that she had never met him. How dare he appear out of nowhere and take her parents away?!

"This is bullshit!" Elizabeth cried.

"Watch your language!" her mother chastised.

"But it is!" she replied. "Are you saying there's a whole hidden world filled with people who can do bloody magic? In this day and age? Where almost everyone has a smartphone with cameras and streets with 24/7 surveillance and bloody satellites? How come no one ever noticed?"

"That's the first question I asked myself you see," Harry said. "Electronic devices don't work near magic and there's a kind of redirection ward over wizarding dwellings. Besides even if someone caught magic on camera who'd believe them with the CGI that we have now. And the magical ministries do regular correspondence with the non-magical ones."

"But…"she said flustered. "If I'm your twin sister what am doing here and instead of with you?"

The moment she said that she realized her mistake. Her mom and dad faces darkened heavy with hurt.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she said hurriedly. "I love you two and I wouldn't have anyone else for my mom and dad ever! I'm just trying to understand."

"That-"Harry sighed. "Is a long story. The cliff notes version is that there was a war happening in the magical world. A dark wizard named Voldemort began a terrorist organization called the Death Eaters to wipe out all who are not pure of blood from the world."

"What does that mean? Not pure of blood?" her father Scott asked.

"There's a portion of the magical world that are made of twenty eight families who calls themselves Ancient and or Noble. The government it mostly made up from members of these families. Most of them-not all- believe that they are superior because of this status. They believe that people who don't come from non-magical families shouldn't be taught magic. So it was only a matter of time before someone came along and started a coup.

"I suspect that someone bound your magic so you wouldn't get tagged when performing accidental magic. If that someone hadn't gone such lengths to keep your presence secret you would've been told all about the magical world when you turned eleven. Well except for the blood business of course."

It was a lot to take in. Elizabeth didn't know what to think so she turned to her parents.

"I-If our Elizabeth is really your twin sister," her mother Sarah said with tears in her eyes. "Then why didn't you and she grow up together?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." Harry replied with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Try us."

"This is all guesswork alright?" he cautioned and took a breath. "The biggest wizarding school of Britain is called Hogwarts. That's where I go, that's where you would've gone if things had turned out differently. Anyway there's a man called Albus Dumbledore, who has far too much power in his hands as the head of the wizarding courting system and the International Confederation of Wizards- it's like the magical UN- and the headmaster of Hogwarts. Can you see where I'm going with this?"

Her parents nodded. Elizabeth looked on puzzled.

"Anyway the first blood war began, lots of people died you know the usual stuff-"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes at him. _This is my twin brother?_

"Halloween 2004 the leader of terrorist organization attacked my-our biological parents hiding place and killed both of them because he refused to join them." All three gasped. "Voldemort asked them because as I told you before ours are a very wealthy and powerful family. Then he tried to kill me-"

"You?" Sarah asked. "But in 2004 you must've been what year and a half?"

"That's how sick this bastard is." Harry said. "So he tried to kill me but the killing curse bounced back taking his life instead. The thing is the killing curse cannot be blocked or stopped any spell so when it didn't kill me I got famous. Not just because I didn't die but that day the war ended. I told you about Dumbledore. Now this is a very respected and powerful wizard in our world and nobody would question a thing he did. I think he took me stuck me in my aunts home and placed you under the care of your mom and dad and told the world that the boy who ended the war is safe and you weren't even mentioned because he didn't want to."

"So this man placed you with you aunt so he could control you?" Scott asked. "Because you're famous and wealthy?"

"Pretty much."

"Then what about me?" Elizabeth asked not seeing the reason for her placement.

Harry smiled grimly. "Isn't it obvious? Dumbledore already had a boy who already achieved the impossible, a boy who ended a war. He also had his twin sister who was with him. He didn't need two heroes. He placed you here because _you_ complicate the narrative he would eventually create. He took my twin sister away from me because you didn't fit in with the story he was going to tell.

"Dumbledore then placed you here, modified you parents memories so that they'd think you'd think they're your biological parents and vice versa." He said bluntly making the rest of them wince. "I have a picture of both of us with our parents if you feel like that I'm lying."

Elizabeth took the photograph and almost dropped it. "It's bloody moving! Did you print a gif or something?"

"It's not a gif." Harry said while her parents surrounded her examining the picture. And sure enough there they were waving at the camera the man holding a small boy the woman holding a little girl with beautiful black hair.

"James and Lily Potter," Harry said. "

Silence reigned for a few minutes while they all took in what Harry's tale.

"And this Dumbledore person is the headmaster of a school?" Sarah asked.

Harry nodded leaning back against the chair. "Welcome to the magical world. It's backwards, filled with archaic traditions and there are contract brides of your choosing. It gives a deadly weapon to an eleven year old but also has teleportation technology with unlimited energy resources that could solve the world power crisis along with world hunger."

Elizabeth stared at him. " _What?_ "

"Another long story." He said and muttered something about 'bushy haired girls' and 'misuse of power'.

She looked up at the boy… her brother. She had a twin brother and she was also a witch caught in some insane conspiracy concocted by a crazy old man.

"Listen here lad." Her dad said finally. "Say we believe you. Say that our Elizabeth… isn't our Elizabeth and some crazy man arranged everything. But is there a point to all this? All you've done so far is I think break a few secrecy laws in your world and trying to tell us that our whole life is a lie. Are you expected us to enroll her in your school so she can lean to be a witch? If so you can forget it! With a man like Dumbledore that basically running your world, I don't think so."

"Secrecy laws?" Harry said. "I think my sister deserves to know why she can fly! I think you're the only person in a century to do it without a broom. And there _is_ a point Mr. Wright. I'm not expecting you to enroll her in Hogwarts. But we'll get back to that. What _I_ want is nothing more than the relationship I should've had with my sister, is that really too much to ask for?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened when his previous confidence drained away to be replaced with vulnerability. In a brief flash of intuition she realized that this boy had recognized the gravity of what he had told them. He also understood that it was entirely possible that they might reject his proposal, because that's would be choice of any sane person. She wondered what kind of environment he grew up in.

"Look you don't have to agree to anything right now," he said looking at the ground. "I know it is a lot to take in. If you still don't believe me why not take a DNA test or something or-"

"No!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "I believe you."

His eyes suddenly lit up. "You do?"

"Yes," she said smiling at her brother. "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Her mother nodded wiping at her eyes. "Yes. Stay."

Harry smiled widely. "Alright. Thank you."

Then the door flew open admitting her sister. "There you are! This is the second time today I had to barge in through a door looking for you Liza. What are you doing home? Oh-hello. Who are you?"

"It's a long story Rose." Elizabeth said. "And you're not going to believe it."

A/N: About the tech being up to date- I did it because I wanted to see how the magical world would react to it. Thanks for reading!


	9. True Faces

-Chapter 9-

 _True Faces_

"Oh come on! That was totally a graze!" Thomas Kirkland cried.

"I don't think so." Harry disagreed with the twenty year old solicitor.

"It was so!" he replied taking a sip of his drink. "Wait for the action replay…and you aren't even watching!"

"I have excellent peripheral vision Tom." Harry said not looking up from his book.

He huffed and Harry rolled his eyes.

When Harry was searching for a good law firm to represent he had exclusively looked for a one with Muggleborns in it. Partly because having a non-pureblood represent the wealthiest family in wizarding Britain was a statement in itself and partly because Harry didn't want a wizard who looked up to Dumbledore. He had finally found the Kirkland, Peterson and Waller with an excellent win rate. From the many candidates Harry chose the sole Muggleborn who had gotten the job because his widowed mother had married a wealthy pureblood. He only had five cases under his belt. It wasn't the fact that Tom was a bad solicitor that he had only five; in fact he had won them all. It was because of his blood status. And Harry had chosen him, to the incredible shock of the other partners of the firm.

After a while Harry had found out that the guy was pretty fun to hang out with, although he had an addiction to cricket which wasn't an issue for Harry at all. They mostly had their meetings in his apartment playing games and watching matches.

"You think they'll call?" Tom asked.

"I'm not sure." Harry said. "Dinner was excellent. Even though that Rose girl kept trying to kill me with her gaze through the meal. I don't think she believed me."

"Don't blame her." Tom replied running a hand through his short blonde hair. "You _do_ have a very dishonest face."

"Shut up man." Harry said glancing at his phone.

Few minutes passed the commentary from the TV filling the background. When it finally started to vibrate Harry snatched and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Harry?" Elizabeth's voice came. "We're ready. We even wore the weird robes you got for us."

"Are you in someplace without any electronic equipment?" Harry asked while Tom turned off the telly.

"Except for the phones yes."

"After I hang up turn them off too." He said. "I'll see you in a minute."

"Kippy!" he called after hanging up. The elf apparated in the designated zone and both of them grabbed the offered hands. In seconds they were in the luxurious garden of the Wright estate. The Wright family stood as one wearing expensive wizarding robes, looking quite anxious. Harry smiled. "Hey! Ready?"

After performing some glamour charms to his face to hide his scar, they all apparated to Diagon Alley.

"Jesus H fuck!" Scott Wright cried when he saw the busy street. "You were telling the truth!"

Harry chuckled. "Of course I was."

He waited patiently while the family experienced their first look at the magical world. After a while Harry gently guided them through the streets crowds careful not to linger on one thing for long. They were here for business after all.

Rose Wright suddenly stopped staring at a sign that showed a girl with a wild mane turning smooth.

"Sleekeazy's Hair Potion- _two drops tames even the most bothersome barnet._ _" She read. "Is this real?"_

"Yeah it works I think." Harry turned to Tom remembering something. "Wasn't that on the list?"

"It was," Tom said. "It's currently half owned by the Lady Potter."

"You mean me?" Elizabeth asked surprised.

Harry nodded. "This is why we first need to go to Gringrotts."

* * *

"Lord Potter." Griphook said looking up from his desk when Harry entered the office. "Here again so soon? And you've brought guests."

"Griphook," Harry said cancelling the glamour and gesturing dramatically at Elizabeth. "I give you Lady Elizabeth Lillian Potter."

The goblin nodded. "Good to see you without harm Lady Potter."

Harry pouted. "You guys are no fun."

"Absolutely," Griphook said. "We have important business to do."

* * *

Harry watched in shock as a transparent lion manifested from the inheritance box and bowed to Elizabeth before disappearing. His eyes snapped to Griphook. "How come a lion bow to _her_? How come it didn't try to maul her or something?"

"Hey!" Elizabeth cried indignant.

"Sorry," Harry said. "That bloody box tried to strangle me!"

"Lord Potter I think it's because she's more graceful than you," Tom said seriously.

"Oh screw you Tom." Harry replied crossing his arms while Elizabeth smiled smugly. "Let's just get on with this."

Half hour later they walked out of the bank considerably more shaken than when they went in. Elizabeth turning out to be one of the heirs of Gryffindor didn't surprise Harry; actually the whole rereading of the will went fine. It was when the Healers that Harry hired to check the damage to Elizabeth's family found out that that they indeed had their memory modified when the Wright family got angry and reasonably so.

After stopping by for ice cream, they apparated to Potter Manor. Harry took his time leading the tour, still not believing he had found his sister. Elizabeth was an incredibly easy person to talk to. He spent the whole tour telling her everything about their family, his school and his friends and she told him about her friends and family. He caught himself glancing at her often as if to make sure she really did exist. While Harry was almost a carbon copy of his father Elizabeth had his mother's with his father's eyes.

They approached the sitting room and they all relaxed for a while and Harry called an elf for some tea.

"There is still something we need to discuss." Harry started. "Are you going to start your magical education?"

"What about normal school?" Sarah asked. "Are you asking her to drop everything just so she could learn how to pull rabbits out of a hat? Why would she need to learn magic anyway?"

Harry chuckled. "You don't understand. She _flew_. Without a broom."

"You're kidding… right?" Tom asked.

"No I am not." Harry said. "The reason she needs to learn magic is that it is quite obvious that Elizabeth is an incredibly powerful witch. And that power if left unchecked could explode in the most unfortunate moment. And Dumbledore would try to bound you magic and Obliviate you all again."

They all sat a bit straighter their faces stern. "That's unacceptable."

"I know Mr. Wright." Harry said. "It's why I propose an accelerated program taught by hired tutors. You can still continue your normal school and do this so you can control your magic better. That reminds me, we need to get you a wand."

"A wand?" Elizabeth perked up.

"Yes." He replied. "Of course there's another option. You can always enroll in Hogwarts next year under a different name. What do you think?"

"What career options does she have if she graduates from this Hogwarts?" Sarah wanted to know.

"I don't think she'd have to work a day in her life." Harry said shrugging. "We're pretty much the wealthiest family in wizarding Britain. But that's not what you asked. There're tons of fields she could go to."

He summoned a leaflet that contained about magical careers from his room. He let them read it. "So?"

"Dragon handler?" Elizabeth asked looking up from the leaflet. "There're real dragons?"

"Yes," Tom nodded. "Though I don't recommend it. It's quite dangerous."

"When you said that the magical world has the ability to solve the world power crisis what did you mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"That's quite a big subject," Harry said. "We'll talk about it at some later time. But your magical education isn't the only thing we need to talk about. Tom if you will?"

"Quite," Tom said. "Are you going to make the return of Lady Potter public Harry?"

"It's not my decision." He replied. "But if you do decide that you want to go public there will be a massive outcry from wizarding Britain. The leader of the light binding the magic of a lady from a Most Ancient and Noble family and placing her with a muggle family. Not to mention the fame of being the sister of the Boy-Who-Lived." Here Harry rolled his eyes.

"This could topple Dumbledore you know." Tom added.

"I've already told you about my thoughts about Dumbledore, Tom." Harry said. "He's not a threat. Never has been. Just a temporary annoyance. The real threat is the ministry and the general public. They could make our lives hell if they try hard enough."

"You're talking like Elizabeth's return is some kind of political maneuver." Scott said a bit angrily.

"It is," Harry nodded smiling grimly. "Only this isn't your normal game of politics where you can try again if you fail. If we mess up it could end up with us dead or worse. I already told you how backwards and screwed up this world is."

"So what are we going to do?" Rose asked taking her sister's hand.

Harry turned to Elizabeth. "Do you want to learn magic?"

She looked up at him and Harry was taken aback by the ferocity in her eyes. "I want to be a Healer."

"Elizabeth-" her mom started.

"Mom, Dad, Rose I want to do this." she said. "I'll enter Hogwarts next year."

Harry couldn't help the wide smile on his face. "You're not going to regret this."

* * *

"So?"

"So what?"

"What's going on?" Hermione exclaimed closing her book making several people jump in the common room. "You haven't stopped smiling since you came back today."

Her breath caught in her throat as his intense green eyes turned to her. They were shining with mirth. "You understand that the exams are over?"

"This is just a bit of light reading." She replied. "So what got you so excited?"

"I found her, Hermione." He said smiling like a loon. "I found Elizabeth."

"Oh my God Harry!" she cried throwing her arms around him. "Tell me everything!"

He put some small privacy wards around them. "She's fine. Dumbledore placed her with a rich muggle family and modified their memories…"

As the story continued Hermione started getting worried. Her initial reverence for the headmaster had already been destroyed when Harry had told her about the monstrous acts Snape had committed and how Dumbledore had hired him despite all of it. And Harry had finally found his long lost sister and she had never seen him so happy. And she wanted it to last. But there was still a chance the headmaster finding out that the Potter twins have reunited. Dumbledore could still take Elizabeth away from Harry. She didn't know if Harry could survive from that. All his life he had suffered and even this small glimmer had the chance of disappearing if they weren't careful.

"…she says she wanted to be a Healer. She says that she'll enroll in Hogwarts next year under her muggle name." he kept rambling and Hermione smiled at him. "Hermione she can fly! Without a broom to the boot… and she's pretty awesome. I think you'll like her- do you want to meet her?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course. So she's more powerful than you? I bet she's smarter and prettier than you as well."

"Hey! Are you saying I'm not pretty?"

She laughed. "So when'll I meet her?"

"Well it's only a three days more until the end of term. How about in the summer?"

"Alright."

"That's settled." Harry said. "Anyway it's time exorcise a ghost!"

* * *

"Harry stop!" Hermione whispered.

"What?" Harry asked freezing on the spot. The rune stones on his hands hovering just inches above the Professor Binns classroom door. "Do I have the wrong stones?"

"No!" she grabbed his hand and pulled him away. "We can't place the stones here. What if one of the house ghosts get caught in it?"

"Oh." He said as both of them casually fell in step with passing group of students. "That would be bad."

"I know." She said. "That is why we need to find where Binns' room used to be and place the trap there."

"But he's a ghost," Harry said. "Why would he even hang out there anyway?"

"I think like most ghosts he's bound to where he died, in this case Hogwarts." she said. "What we need is a way to get to the staff quarters without anyone noticing."

"Why not use an elf?" Harry asked smiling at a group of girls that waved at him as they passed by.

Hermione frowned at his action. "You know why."

"Yeah. But I was just being cautious." He said. "I still don't know if the headmaster has any wards that detect elves that doesn't belong to the school. "

"Even so, that option is out." Hermione racked her brain for a solution. "Harry why can't we use someone else? Someone who knows the school better than us?"

"Like who?"

"Like those two." She said pointing at the Weasley twins who seemed to be examining a piece of parchment.

"What makes you think they know better than us?"

"Well they are in their third year and I don't think they'd mind lending us a hand in what is essentially a prank." Hermione said a bit disapprovingly. "They do seem very fond of those."

Harry eyed them. "Can we trust them?"

"One way to find out." She said and headed towards them. Seeing her approach they quickly hid the parchment.

"Hello. Fred and George Weasley?" she asked.

"Well-well-well look who it is Fred," George Weasley (she assumed) said. "The savior of Hogwarts and her partner."

"This new generation is really something George." Fred replied. "Two months of magic, and Snape is out of the school not to mention dead, and we get a decent potions teacher. Nicely done Mr. Potter."

"Actually, Hermione's the one who found the correct protocols and laws." Harry said. "I just talked to some people and wrote the letter to Madam Bones."

She went slightly red at the praise. "Anyway that's not why we're here. Do you know where Professor Binns died? If so can you transport a collection of objects to be set at certain places?"

They both turned to her. "Maybe. Do we need to know what these devices are?"

"You're going to find out anyway when you set them." Harry said.

"Alright," Fred said. "What's in it for us?"

"It's for the good of the students actually." Hermione said. "Much like what happened with Snape."

"So basically what you're saying is that we're going to lose our weekly nap time in the history class?"

"It's for the good of us all." she said. "Please? If you do this we won't tell anyone about the secret potions lab you have in the school."

"How'd you know about that?" they asked in unison.

"I didn't." Hermione said grinning. "You just told me."

"You were right brother." George said. "This new generation is really something."

"Yeah," Fred replied. "We'll see what we can do."

* * *

Hermione was enjoying her dessert after dinner when it happened. A ghoulish shriek tore through the hall, making more than a few students drop their cutlery in shock. All the candles blew out covering the tables in darkness. It took a while for her to realize that the rune stones had activated. Several people (including herself) yelped when almost all the ghosts in the school were suddenly flew in through the one wall and left from the other- which was the general direction of the staff quarters.

When people started to stand up Dumbledore addressed the hall. "Please remain in you seats and enjoy your dinner while the staff investigates."

Hermione shrugged and continued to do just that. It was later than night they heard that Professor Binns had been forcibly evicted from Hogwarts, never to return. Harry and Hermione shared a smile while everyone else discussed how such a thing could've happened.

 _I love my life…_ Hermione thought happily.

* * *

"So, I'll see you in September?" Harry said not meeting her eyes and missing the smile on her face. He was surprised at his own reluctance to part from someone he knew for a few months. He had gotten so used to spending time with her all the time he was dreading his journey back to the Dursleys. He _could_ move up his relocation to the Potter Manor but he was sure the Dumbledore had someone monitoring the Dursleys and he didn't want to tip the headmaster off. Besides he had something planned for the rest of his _family_.

"I think we need to meet a little earlier to buy our next year school stuff." Hermione said with a finger to her chin.

"I forgot about that." Harry said. "I'll call you?"

Hermione nodded and then leaned forward kissing his cheek. She waved goodbye and headed towards where her parents were waiting at the platform.

He waved back in a daze tracing his fingers over where her soft lips had landed. _That girl is going to be the death of me._

Shaking his head he walked towards the end of the platform. He cringed when he saw the three of them standing near a gate looking as if they'd rather be anywhere than here. He ran his hand through his head in an automatic reflex to tame his hair, Uncle Vernon's shout of 'Comb your hair boy!' unconsciously reminding him. It was moments like these he remembered that how much free he was at Hogwarts. He never had to hide who he was when he was learning magic.

Harry stopped in front of Uncle Vernon's large frame. Vernon narrowed his eyes at him. "Who are you?"

Harry suppressed a smile. "Why it's me! Uncle Vernon. Don't tell me you can't recognize your own nephew because of a few new cloths, pair of contacts and some much needed visits to a hospital?"

"P-Potter?" Vernon sputtered.

"Yes it's me…you fat fuck…" Harry added inaudibly. "And no I'm not going to tell you how I got these."

"Watch your mouth boy!"

"Or what?" He countered. "You're going to teach me a _lesson_ in front of all these people?"

"Let's just go Vernon." Aunt Petunia said eyeing the passing crowds.

"That's what I thought." Harry said following his family.

"Where's your trunk?" Vernon asked noticing that his nephew was empty handed when they reached the car.

"That's of no concern of yours." Harry said and entered the vehicle ignoring the family.

The ride back to Privet drive was silent, though Dudley kept sending sneers his way. Harry grinned at him. The moment they arrived at the house Vernon pulled Harry aside grabbing him by the shirt.

"Listen here boy, you're in our home again." He said. "And I won't tolerate any kind of funny business in my house. Understand?"

Harry stared at the hand clutching his shirt then looked at his uncle. "Who said you could touch me?"

"What?" Vernon bristled.

"You heard me." He said. "Who said _you could touch me?_ "

"I don't need anyone's permission to do anything in my own house you freak!"

"We'll see about that." He said and glared at his uncle. "Now if you don't want to lose that arm, I suggest you let go."

He let go and if not for Harry's new potions regime that had fixed his body, he would've hit the wall and fallen.

"Dinner's at eight, until then you'll be in your bedroom." Vernon said finally.

* * *

 _I guess they really couldn't wait to put me to work._ Harry said to Andy while setting the table.

 **Are you really surprised?**

 _Nah._ "Dinner's ready!"

After they had all sat down Harry picked up his plate and leaned against the nearby windowsill. He checked his watch and seeing that five minutes has passed placed his plate on the floor.

"You know," he started and they all turned toward him. "Before I boarded the train to come back to kings cross I stopped by a potions shop in this lovely little village called Hogsmeade. He had all kinds of stuff. I was particularly interested in one of his bestsellers. A dreamless sleeping potion."

"Is there a point to this boy?" Vernon snapped.

Harry smirked. "Enjoying your dinner?"

It was quite funny to see the expressions change on Vernon's face. He continued. "It's actually quite a remarkable subject. Potions. If you know where to look you could find books describing how to change something harmless like-" he here paused and indicated to the trio who seemed to be having trouble breathing. "-a dreamless sleeping potion into a something else. Something… lethal."

"You b…bastard…" Vernon muttered before passing out.

"Don't worry." Harry muttered standing over them. "You're not going to die. Not from that anyway."

When Vernon woke up he found that he was strapped to the refrigerator he loved so much with a wire and was sitting on the floor. He tried to shake himself loose to no avail. Vernon glanced around hoping to see his wife and son and saw that they were bound to single chairs in the kitchen. The TV was muted and the freak stood in front of it smirking at him. Vernon saw red.

"You little shit!" he barked. "Let me go now! Or I'll-"

"Or you'll do nothing." Harry cut-in. "You'll stay where you are and answer some of my questions. Then I'm going away, forever."

Vernon narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean going away forever?"

"Exactly what you think," Harry replied. "So first question, how did I come to this house?"

"We found you," Petunia spoke up. "On our doorstep with a letter strapped to your cloths saying we'd have to take you in."

"Who was it from?" Harry asked even though he had a pretty good idea.

"Someone named Dumbledore."

"Do you still have the letter?"

"In the attic."

"I'll get it later." Harry said making a mental note. "You got an allowance every month for taking me in right?"

"How'd you know about that?"

"What did you think I wouldn't find out?" Harry asked. "I read my parents will. Did you know that the Potters are the richest magical family on Britain? We have more than billion pounds in liquid assets. If you'd have treated me like a normal person I actually would've shared it with you."

Vernon's eyes went glassy at 'billion pounds'. "Listen… frea- Harry, we took you in didn't we? We weren't even given a choice in the matter, but we took you in. Looked after you like you were our own-"

Harry started laughing. "Do you really think I'm _that_ stupid?" he asked finally. He stopped and glared at them.

"In less than a year in the magical world I've caught and sentenced a dangerous criminal, evicted a ghost that was destroying generations of students education, and laid the groundwork to topple the corrupt government officials that run the ministry." He said. "You have no idea who you're dealing with Dursley."

He turned to Petunia who was looking at him like she's seeing the real him for the first time. "Did you know that I had a twin sister called Elizabeth?"

"W-What?" she sputtered.

"Another freak?" Dudley asked.

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you Duddykins," Harry growled. "Unless you want to lose it."

"She's magical, of course." He said to Petunia as if he hadn't been interrupted. "The same man who placed me here placed her with a very nice family. I wish I had grown up with her instead of you arseholes. And I'm so glad that our positions weren't reversed. I shudder to think what you'd done to her as a little girl. "

"Knew she'd be a freak like you," Dudley spat, never being very smart.

Quick as a flash Harry's foot connected with the boy's jaw so hard that he fell with the chair. Petunia screamed while Dudley spat out blood and couple of teeth.

"You freak! What did you do to my son?!" Vernon cried struggling to break free.

"I did warn him." Harry said calmly.

"Shut it!" Vernon barked. "I've had just about enough of this! You freaks come to _my_ house and _force_ me to take a brat I never wanted and take care of it! And _you._ Who the bloody hell do you think you are to hit tie my family up and then hit my son!? HUH!? I hope your freak twin choke-"

This time Harry's shoe was smashed against the elder Dursley's face. He brought up his leg and kicked Vernon again, his calm expression never changing. Petunia's screamed amplified when blood started pouring down his stout face, leaking from his nose and mouth. Harry stopped his onslaught.

"Tsk…" he muttered observing his leg. "I got blood on my shoes."

He stared at the bloody face of his uncle in distaste. He placed his foot on Vernon's wide face and pressed until he heard a crunch and his uncle started wailing.

 _Thank god I placed those silencing ward stones around this room._ He said to Andy.

 **Yeah.** Andy replied. **Can we finish this a bit early? I need us to stop by Gringrotts to-**

He went silent and Harry narrowed his eyes. _Andy?_

No response.

Remembering what had happened the last time Andy went silent he started to panic. Closing his eyes for a minute he searched through his mindscape. But there was not a sign of him. Unfortunately his brief inattention was all Vernon Dursley needed.

Harry's breath was knocked out him as a huge foot landed in his stomach and he felt the connection he had to his magic getting thinner. A dark sensation reverberated in his mindscape and Harry instantly recognized it. Voldemort.

 _But how_? He was pretty certain he had destroyed the part of Voldemort's souls that was embedded in his head. He checked deeper and froze when he found a crude trap created using mind magic. It took a while for him to understand that it was a self-destruction type logic system that was designed to destroy a mind from the inside, and it had Voldemort's magical signature all over it. And somehow instead of destroying his mind it had… killed Andy. He couldn't help but admire Voldemort's resourcefulness. The bastard had taken his first friend in his dying breath. But he'd have to grieve later because in the real world he was out of breath and his stomach felt like it was being burned from the inside.

Harry fell to the floor of the kitchen grasping for breath. And to his shock Vernon broke through his chains that held him and stood up, wiping away the blood from his face. Harry's quickly covered his face when a fat shoe came at it, but it wasn't enough. He felt a sharp pain in his nose and he knew it was broken. Rolling away from another kick he hastily took his wand out from his wrist hostler. He hadn't used his wand before because he was sure Dumbledore had all kinds of wards to monitor him. But screw that! Because he wasn't sure he could take another kick from his uncle, even with his rejuvenated body.

With a stunner on his lips he pointed it at his uncle the moment the next kick came.

"Stupe-" he didn't get to finish as Vernon's foot landed on his hand and he watched with an opened mouth as his wand flew away and disappeared under the sofa. He tried to roll towards it but Vernon clasped his meaty hands around his throat and lifted him off the ground.

"Not so brave now are you?" he said grinning nastily.

Harry struggled to get free but the grip was too strong.

"Now, you and I are going to have a long talk about these billion pounds you claim to have," he said. "Understood?"

Harry smiled at him grinding his teeth. "Sure. You'd have to survive today first."

Vernon laughed and punched him knocking the breath out of him once more. Harry heaved hard, his mind racing mile a minute. Having a crazy idea he took out his smart phone from his pocket.

"What're you going to do with that boy?" Vernon asked. "Call the police?"

"You know some of these smart phones are pretty sturdy and some of them-not so much," Harry said ignoring the burning in his throat. "Here let me show you…"

In one swift movement he placed the screen side of the phone against Vernon's face and punched the back part as hard as could. Vernon shrieked and Harry landed punch after punch breaking the screen and the glass. Vernon dropped him clawing at his bleeding eyes, which was making the broken glass pressed further into his eyeballs.

Harry winced at the thought but wasted no time in kneeing his uncle in the crotch. He doubled over in extreme pain as the screams and wails from his family continued. Harry kicked his face again for good measure and dove for his wand. He stuck his hand under the sofa and blindly searched for it. "Gotcha!"

Breathing heavily he pointed the wand at his uncle's head. Years of memories of beatings and starvation ran through his mind. He remembered the helplessness and the soul crushing depression he was constantly in. All three of his family was responsible. Petunia never hit him, but she found creative ways to torture him. He was always alone in school because of Dudley. Was it so damn hard for them to treat him like a normal person? Years of hatred bubbled up within him. And just as he was about to fire the same curse that he had used to subdue the potions professor, a voice that was suspiciously similar to Hermione's said: _'Just because they made your life hell doesn't mean you have to right to take their lives Harry.'_

He wanted to argue that his _family_ deserved it.

He wanted to argue that he deserves some payback for all those years of pain and suffering.

But he didn't because he knew it was true. And he didn't have the right. But that didn't mean he couldn't make the rest of _their_ lives hell. Smirking he pointed his wand at Vernon's legs.

" _Renoeum!_ " he said and the white magic with the black outline flashed to his uncle's foot, messily blasting the right leg off of his body. Harry ducked behind the sofa to avoid the blood spray that flew everywhere.

"DAD!"

"VERNON!"

His uncle had fallen to the floor from the blood loss. Harry aimed at his other leg closing one eye. " _Reno-_

"NO!" Dudley shouted and jumped at him with the chair that he was bound to.

His aim was thrown off when his cousin landed on him. _"-eum!"_

The white energy whipped away from the intended target and split into several paths one heading towards the huge plasma TV and one puncturing a hole through the gas cooker and the rest heading in various directions. Kicking his cousin away from him Harry stood up and groaned when he heard a hissing sound. He didn't need to look at the broken TV to figure out that there'd be sparks.

"Oh shit…" he muttered and turned around.

He ran out of the kitchen glad as hell that he had his shrunken trunk in his pocket and that Hedwig had yet to arrive. Harry blasted the front door away with a _Reducto_ and ran out of the house, pass the parked car and onto the street. He felt the heat before he saw the flames ducked behind the car when the windows of Number 4, Privet Drive blew outward sending glass flying in every direction. He could hear people shouting in the distance as he walked backwards and away from the house he had lived for eleven years. He smacked his palm against his forehead when he remembered that he had forgotten to pick up Dumbledore's letter from the attic. _Dammit, that was good blackmail material!_

Then there was Andy…

Harry couldn't believe that he was actually gone. Andy had been with him ever since he could remember and he was irreplaceable.

He sighed turned away and started jogging to the end of the street hoping to catch a metro to London. He'd first stop by Gringrotts and then at Hermione's. He needed to tell her of this incident before she learned it from other means and come to the wrong conclusion. He realized that he should probably tell his solicitor as well. Not to mention Elizabeth. It was going to be a long night.


	10. Welcome Back, Lord Black

-Chapter 10-

 _Welcome Back, Lord Black_

"Hermione!" her mother's voice came from downstairs.

"What is it?" she asked turning her head reflexively from the book she was reading.

"Doesn't Harry live in little winging?"

Frowning and placing a bookmark on the page she ran downstairs. Emma pointed to the TV which was showing an aerial shot of a burning house. She snatched the remote from the coffee table and turned up the volume.

"… _unfortunately all three of the Dursley family with their eleven year old son appeared to have been inside when the fire started…"_ a reporter was saying.

Hermione's heart almost stopped at the next bit. _"…along with their nephew who had been staying from the beginning…"_

"No-no-no it's not possible…" she muttered the remote leaving her hands.

"We don't know what happened Hermione…" her mother was saying.

"Harry!" she screamed at the TV dropping to her knees.

"Yes?" a familiar voice said and she snapped around. "You called?"

Hermione leapt at her best friend hugging him tightly wiping at her eyes furiously.

"I thought you were gone." She whispered shakily.

"Hey!" he murmured against her ear. "I'm fine."

"Don't do that to me again." She said firmly.

"I promise I won't." he replied. "At least not intentionally."

She chuckled and pulled back examining his face. The way his messy black hair fell over his forehead, the way his emerald eyes shone and the now almost invisible lightning scar. She frowned when she noticed a large bruise on his neck. She hovered her hand over the reddened area, not touching it.

"What happened?" she asked worried.

"That's what we would like to know too." Her father suddenly said from behind her.

Hermione's eyes widened when she realized that she still had Harry in her arms, his own wrapped gently around her waist. Blushing red she separated from him quickly but stayed close.

Harry shifted from one foot to another awkwardly. "I want to tell you. But um… can I speak to Hermione alone first? Please?"

Now curious she turned around silently gesturing her parents to agree. Her father looked like he wanted to protest but her mother took his hand. "Sure. We'll wait here."

Mumbling a quick thanks to them she dragged Harry up the stairs and into her room. She dropped him unceremoniously on her bed and sat as close to him as possible without practically sitting on his lap.

"Alright Potter, spill!" she said.

He stared down at his feet for a moment before taking her hand. She suppressed a smile.

"As you already know I had trouble fitting in at school when I first started." He began. "Dudley made sure of that. One day he and his gang surrounded me and I knew I was in for a pretty good treat. That was when a heard a voice inside my head. It started giving me suggestions how to survive the encounter."

"Wait, a voice?" Hermione asked putting two and two together. "Don't tell me, it was Voldemort wasn't it?"

"No actually." Harry said. "It was a completely different personality. I named him Andy."

"Oh." Hermione said trying not to look at him. So Harry had some kind of a split personality that he talked and took advice from. How was she supposed to respond to that?

He grinned. "I know how it sounds."

"Do you?" she asked now understanding why he wanted to have this conversation in private. "It sounds like you just confessed to me that you were crazy."

"And you would be right," he said. "If magic didn't exist in this world. Did you read any of the Occlumency books I gave you?"

"What do you think?"

"Right," he chuckled. "Stupid question. Have you gotten to the part about Subliminal Guardians?"

"Wait…" she narrowed her eyes going into full research mode. "Are you saying you developed a mind guardian before even learning the first thing about magic?"

"It's currently my best guess, yes." He said. "The thing was that I didn't know what it was at the time and since Andy got me out a of lot of sticky situations I got kind of attached to it."

He then continued to tell what happened at when he tried to interrogate the Dursley's about how he came to be with the family. She wasn't even surprised that she didn't feel anything when Harry finally said that his family was probably dead. In her opinion they got off easily and she was sure her parents would agree too.

"…so I ran out of the house and called an elf and came to see you." He finished.

"You came to see me first?" she asked smiling.

"I didn't want you to worry." He said not meeting her eyes.

"I bet." She said and they sat on the bed in comfortable silence for a minute.

Shaking herself she stood up. "Mom and dad might be wondering why we're taking so long. Come on."

They bounded down the stairs their hands still entwined. Her mom and dad were sitting around the living room talking quietly and stopped when they saw her.

"I'll tell the story Harry." Hermione said squeezing his hand in reassurance.

"What happened was that Harry wanted to know how he ended up with the Dursley's and not an orphanage. So he decided to ask them, long story short everything got out of hand and Harry narrowly escaped with life."

All three of them gaped at her.

"What?"

Harry made to speak but Dan beat him to it. "You can't really expect us just accept that do you?"

"Why not?" she asked annoyed. "It's a perfectly adequate explanation."

"There's a dead child, Hermione," Emma said. "We're going to need details…"

"Details?" Hermione hissed. "Why does it matter? Would you rather Harry died with them?"

"Hermione Jean Granger!" Emma cried. "What a horrible thing to say!"

Hermione looked down suddenly ashamed of herself. "Sorry mom. I'm not trying to be insensitive. Harry has gone through a lot today. Can we at least talk about this tomorrow?"

Emma placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Sure, honey."

"Alright," Harry said clapping his hands together. "I have to get going. There're few more people I need to explain to."

"What, today?" Hermione asked surprised. She had thought he was going to stay with them.

"Yes Hermione. Today." He said and called an elf. "I need to see my sister and then my solicitor and explain to them I'm not dead. Did I tell you about my summer plans in Norway? Do you want to come? My treat."

"Norway?" she asked puzzled. "Why would you go to Norway?"

"They say there's a hidden magical castle that's even larger and ancient than Hogwarts there." He said enthusiastically. "There's even an expedition for tourists to find it. Of course there's a chance of finding a library with lot of long forgotten texts…"

Hermione turned to her parents, her breath coming in hitches. She stared at them expectantly. They had to accept, they just had to. Her mom and dad exchanged glances.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but you know we have to go see you grandmother." Emma said.

She visibly deflated and plopped down on the nearby sofa. Then realizing something turned to Harry. "If we're not coming, who are you going with?"

His smiled brightly. "With my godfather of course! I think he could use nice vacation after spending eleven years of his life in that hellhole."

"See Hermione, we couldn't possibly impose on that!" Her father said a bit overenthusiastically. And suddenly why her mom had refused to give her permission and instead spend the summer at her grandma's, listening to her constant criticisms of her daughter-in-law made sense. Her dad didn't want to her to go with a boy looking for a magical castle. But there was no way she was going to call him on that now, not with Harry standing right in front of her.

"But it won't be." He insisted. "I don't think he'd mind the company."

"I'm sorry Harry," Emma said sadly. "Next time for sure okay?"

"Alright," he said. "So I'll see you all later."

With that he disapparated with the elf. Hermione sighed, blowing at stray strands of hair out of her face with her mouth.

"All those undiscovered books…" she murmured miserably.

* * *

"…then the whole house lit up in white, I was going to call the 999 when I heard a gunshot…"

"A gunshot?"

"Yes." Mrs. Hodges said. "At least I think it was, then the front door flew off and someone ran out."

"Wait-someone ran off?" Detective Inspector Freddie Watts asked pausing in his notes.

"Yes," Mrs. Hodges said very excited. "Whoever it was he was very short, child size."

"Right," Freddie said. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Sighing Freddie walked towards his partner who was inside the burned down house. Reuben Williams sat squatted in front the remains of the plasma television that had sparked the fire (according to the arson investigator).

"Hey Freddie," Williams greeted seeing him approach.

"Hey Will." He replied. "Did we find the fourth body yet?"

Will shook his head. "We only found the Dursley family. No sign of their nephew yet."

"I have a witness who saw a child ran out," Freddie informed him. "It's possible that the kid's alive."

"Let's hope, the preliminary reports from the corner say the father and the child were tortured-at least beaten." Will said standing up.

"God…"

"I know…" Will frowned. "You want to hear something weird? The arson investigator says that though the fire definitely started at the television it was something else that blew open the gas main."

"An explosive of some kind perhaps?"

"The guy says that he can't find any explosive residue which is confusing because there are burn marks all around the pipe."

"That is weird." Freddie said. Catching something bright in his eyes he turned around. His eyes wend wide when an old man who could give Gandalf a run for his money pushed through the yellow tape. Outrageous figures covered his purple robe and a pointy hat on his head.

"What do you think you're doing? This is a crime scene." Freddie said to the man surprised that the pc's let him in.

"What happened here?" the old man asked ignoring Freddie.

"Sir if you do not leave this crime scene I will be forced to remove you!" Freddie snapped. The man turned to him and put his hand inside his robe pockets and Freddie acted on instinct. In an instant he had the old man in a choke hold. His partner patted the man down and found a wooden stick.

Freddie made to speak but Will cut him off. "Just cuff him and hand him over to a uniform. We can sort the thing out back at the station."

* * *

Amelia Bones walked through the crowd to the group who were clearly the ministry Obliviation team. _Shit. What the hell is Fudge doing here?_

"Minister," she spoke in a clipped tone. "Just what are you doing here?"

"Amelia!" Fudge exclaimed. "Don't you know? Improper Use of Magic office recorded that Harry Potter just performed some extremely powerful magic here."

Of course she knew that. She also knew that this is where the boy lived. And her sense of dread had multiplied seeing the remains of the house. She hoped that the boy was alright because that was all she could do right now. She had eavesdropped a few of the muggle Aurors and according to them three bodies had been found. She just hoped that the boy had gotten away somehow.

"Alright," Fudge said to the Obliviation squad. "Let's get this all squared away and do a proper investigation."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Amelia asked.

Fudge didn't understand what the problem was. "Why, Obliviations of course! We need to find out why Potter was here."

Amelia sighed. "Minister, you can't just go Obliviating Muggles like that. You see those small boxes some of them are holding? They are called video cameras. Think of our photographs but that can record hours of pictures with sound. I'm pretty sure that half the country is watching this right now."

"That's impossible." Fudge said chuckling. "This is the first I'm hearing about something like that."

"That's because there wasn't any big magical event that needed our intervention until now. Look I know that it's a bit impossible to believe but if the Obliviation squad went around pointing wands at people and memories suddenly start to disappear the country will be watching it happen. And you'll expose our world. Just calm down and let this happen and…" she trailed off when she spotted the unmistakable form of Albus Dumbledore walking towards the house.

"Son of a bitch!" she cursed.

* * *

But it was too late. Amelia didn't get a chance to stop Dumbledore. By the time she placed a mild compulsion on the Muggles guarding the house and entered it the old man already in handcuffs his wand already confiscated. She was weighing the use of another compulsion charm when Dumbledore noticed her.

"Amelia! It's good you're here." Albus said as he was being escorted out. "You must find Harry. This was where he lived. He must've run off when the fire started. The poor boy will be devastated about his family but you must find him!"

"And who are you?" a bald muggle asked her. Thinking fast she said: "I'm with social services. I was working on Mr. Potter's case."

"What case? Wait hold up for a second." The bald muggle said to the one who was holding Albus. "You know the boy who ran off? Harry Potter?"

"Yes!" Albus said. "I was a family friend. I just heard about the incident so I had to know if he was alright."

The muggle nodded at the uniformed man and he unlocked the handcuffs on Albus.

"Thank you." Albus said graciously.

"I'm Freddy Watts and this is my partner Reuben Williams." He said pointing at another muggle. "Now, do you know anyplace Mr. Potter might've gone?"

"He spend the last Christmas holiday with his friend- Hermione Granger." Albus said. "I have the address."

"That'll be very helpful thanks."

* * *

"Dan will you get that?" Emma said when the bell rang.

"Alright." He replied placing the dishes on the sink. He walked to the front door and opened it.

"Mr. Granger?" two men stood in front of the door.

"Yes. Can I help you?"

"Yes thank you." The bald man said. "I'm Detective Inspector Freddie Watts and this is my partner Rueben Williams. I assume you've seen the news about the burning house in Surrey? We understand your daughter is friends with a child that lived there- a Harry Potter?"

"Yes." Dan replied inviting the men in.

"We know that he ran out of the house before it the fire started." Will said. "Is he here?"

"He was." Dan said. "But he left about an hour ago."

"He did?" Freddie said in relief. "Do you know where he is right now?"

Understanding that Dan couldn't possibly tell them that Harry is probably back at the Potter Manor he took some time to answer.

"He dropped by to tell us that he was okay." Dan said finally. "He said he needed to drop by his sister's house and then he'd go home."

"Sister?" Will frowned. "We have no records of Harry Potter having any sisters. Or any other family for that matter."

"It's -a long story." Dan said.

"And what do you mean home? Back to Surrey?"

"I don't really know where it is." Dan said regretting saying that Harry was back at home. "Don't worry I'm sure he's safe. He also said he needed to drop by his solicitor. I have his card if you need to contact him."

"Solicitor? Why would a kid need a solicitor?" Freddie asked confused.

"It's his family solicitor. He inherited quite the estate from his parents when they passed away." Dan said standing up to retrieve his wallet. He gave the card to the policemen.

"Thank you."

"Can I ask why you're looking for him?" Dan asked. "I mean apart from the obvious."

"We need to ask him a few questions." Freddie replied. "It's an ongoing investigation so we can't discuss it."

* * *

"So if someone does come looking for me what are you going to say?" Harry asked anxious. "You can't say that you're solicitor because you aren't a one in the Muggle world."

The young Muggleborn solicitor waved him off. "Don't worry I've got all of that covered. You should get going though."

"You have to tell me just in case. What are you going to say if they asked you where I am?" Harry asked leaned forward in his chair.

"Wouldn't it be easier if you'd waited for the police to find you and get this over with?" Tom asked. "I mean you're leaving the country in a week."

"You do have a point." Harry thought about it. "But I can't risk Dumbledore finding out that I'm already emancipated and living in my parent's home. Because I'm pretty sure he'd follow the police directly to me."

"Wait…" Tom said suddenly. "Is that why you decided to have your godfather's trial right after you've run away? To keep Dumbledore unbalanced?"

"Bravo!" Harry praised grinning. "Yes. And by the time we go through all the channels to get Sirius a trial he'll be too late to do anything about it."

"Then I better get started then." Tom said standing up and heading to where the fireplace was. He stopped halfway and turned.

"There's another problem though," he said with a hand to his chin. "You're now officially without a muggle guardian."

"So?"

"So? You need one."

Harry shifted in his seat uncomfortable with the topic. "I know. But who's going to take _me_ in? I don't know anyone in the normal world."

"I already know at least two families that would love to be your legal guardian."

"I couldn't possibly ask any of them." Harry said sighing. "They barely know me. Maybe I should just let the system pick one for me."

"Are you sure?" Tom asked. "Because if you do- there's a chance that Dumbledore will get involved. Or you could just choose the wizarding world by revealing you're Lord Potter."

"And turn my back on the normal world?" Harry said his voice rising a bit. "Never going to happen."

Tom shrugged and turned around throwing some floo powder into the fireplace.

"I can't believe you found a service that installed fireplaces." Harry said.

"Me either."

After about ten minutes Tom sat back down. "I've called the necessary departments. Now I just have to owl the required files and hopefully by tomorrow morning your godfather will finally have the trial he deserves."

* * *

"…this emergency Wizengamot has been called by the Most Ancient and Noble House of…" the spokesman trailed off staring at the piece of parchment that held his speech. Like in every session he didn't get the itinerary right until the start. And he was thinking someone must've screwed up because what he was looking at wasn't possible. "…B-Black." He cleared his throat. Ancient and Noble House of Black and the Ancient and Noble House of Potter."

"I'm sorry Mr. Whitfield. But surely you must be mistaken," Dumbledore said. "-House of Black has no authority to call a emergency Wizengamot meeting due to the last member of the family being in Azkaban."

The other members that were already scoffing and saying things like. "You drag us out of spending time with our families for this?"

"There's no mistake Chief Warlock." The court spokesman Ben Whitfield snapped. "That's what is says on the itinerary."

Whitfield looked down at the itinerary again and Harry readied himself.

He had wanted to dress as a complete muggle but couldn't risk angering the chamber before the trial began. So he had reluctantly gone shopping with Hermione for robes appropriate for the event. He had even combed his messy hair, which had taken the better part of the morning. Harry now stood at the back of the public viewing area with his back against the wall wearing expensive red and black robes looking every bit of the powerful young Lord he was supposed to be. And Harry hated every bit of it. He did not covet being the center of attention; unless the crowd consisted only of a cute girl- preferably with bushy brown hair. And in a few seconds he was expected to make a grand entrance and dance the arrogant dance of the quintessential pureblood prince. To stand for what the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter stood for- wealth, power and heritage. Harry smiled. But they were forgetting why the House Potter still had the wealthiest and most powerful title. And Harry had every intention of reminding them.

"But first," the spokesman began. "House of Potter has an announcement to make."

The attention of the chamber was suddenly directed to Gordon Nash.

Steward of House Potter stood. "Thank you Mr. Whitfield. House of Potter is pleased to announce that last heir has finally decided to take his place in our society and the government. Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot I present you Lord Harry James Potter."

Harry stepped onto the floor to total silence. "Pleasure to meet you all."

The silence was never going to last as the Lord Austin stood up and spoke. "Lord Potter I'm very glad that you finally decided to join our society."

Harry smiled and nodded at the man. And the chamber started to fall over themselves to welcome him. Offering smiles and nods Harry climbed up to where his seat. He shook hands with the steward. "Mr. Nash, you've done admirably as the Steward of House Potter. And I hope you'd continue to do so."

"Of course Lord Potter." He smiled genuinely and took the seat beside Harry.

The spokesman started talking. "With that over with -we go to the official reason for this session…"

"Just a minute Mr. Whitfield." Dumbledore cut in. "Harry, what are you doing here?"

"That's Lord Potter to you now Chief Warlock." Harry said casually. "The reason why I'm here instead of when I'm seventeen will be answered as soon as we get to that part in the session."

Albus tried to speak and Harry grinned. _Go on Dumbledore make my day…_

The headmaster finally closed his eyes and gestured to the spokesman to carry on.

"Thank you Chief Warlock," Whitfield said through gritted teeth. "Now bring in the prisoner."

'Prisoner?' some members were murmuring.

When the bright and energetic figure of Sirius Black in tattered cloths entered the chamber flanked by two Aurors chaos broke out between the members. It looked like his godfather had made good use of the food and water from the supplies that Harry had snuck into Azkaban. He understood why he hadn't come in wearing new robes as that would arouse suspicions.

"What is the meaning of this Chief Warlock?" Lucius Malfoy (who was probably still pissed that he no longer had any in the Black fortune) stood up and more than a few members supported his question.

Dumbledore looked pale. "That's what I would like to know too."

"I believe I can answer that." Amelia said. "Lord Potter's and Lord Black's attorneys contacted me this morning that new evidence has come to light regarding Lord Black's trial."

"Excuse me Madam Bones," Harry interrupted politely. "But what trial?"

"I apologize, Lord Potter my mistake." she continued. "It seems that due to the emergency laws of the last war Lord Black was imprisoned without a trial. It is why Gringrotts answered Lord Black's request for a trial and forwarded it to the Wizengamot. We're gathered here today to rectify this injustice of spending more than decade inside Azkaban without a proper trial once and for all."

Predictably that silenced the room. The spokesman introduced the House Black's attorney who turned out be Thomas Kirkland the same young Muggleborn that Harry was employing.

"Criminal hearing of 20th of June into the offences committed by Sirius Orion Black. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Vernon Jacob Bartlett."

"The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions murdered Peter Pettigrew and thirteen Muggles in the same day." Madam Bones took over. "How do you plead?"

"Not guilty." Sirius said with a grin.

It took a while to calm the chamber down after that.

"Lord Black- while not directly connected to this case were you not the secret keeper of the late Lord and Lady Potter? An in the events following the death of Lord and Lady Potter did you not kill Peter Pettigrew and the thirteen Muggles that were in the street at the time?"

"No." Sirius replied firmly. "Who in the bloody hell told you that?"

Harry stood and the shouts once again quieted. "I think I can shed some light on these events."

He held up a copy of his parents will while his solicitor gave distributed more between the judges. "This is a copy of my parent's last will and testament which was sealed by the order of Albus Dumbledore after the events of that day. I do not know if the Chief Warlock knew it at the time when he sealed it but the will clearly states that it was _Peter Pettigrew_ that was the secret keeper of the Potters. Not _Sirius Black_. It seems to me your whole pretense to the story of Lord Black murdering thirteen people is completely untrue. Let me reiterate his question- who told you that he was the secret keeper and that he killed Peter Pettigrew?"

"Lord Potter it was common knowledge at the time that Sirius Black held that position." Fudge started.

"No it wasn't," Harry said. "You _assumed_ that he was. You _assumed_ that since Lord Black was my father's best friend he must surely hold that position. You _assumed_ and an innocent man was sentenced to Azkaban without a trial."

"Hold on a minute there Lord Potter," the fat woman sitting beside Fudge wearing a hideous pink cardigan cut in. "This so called will only states that Peter Pettigrew was the secret keeper, it doesn't say anything Black's innocence."

Harry stared at the woman disdainfully. "Who are you?"

"Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister." She said sneering back at him.

"Okay," Harry said narrowing his eyes. "Were you not listening? I just said that your whole justification for flinging Lord Black in prison was based on a lie. He's innocent because you didn't convict him then."

Harry swallowed a grin as the woman blustered in anger.

"Now, Lord Black," Harry said now smiling and addressing his godfather. "Would you object if I call for question by Veritaserum?"

"Nope." He replied smiling back. In a moment an Auror had administered the potion to Sirius.

"Let's begin." Their solicitor said. "Please describe the events of Halloween of 2004…"

Harry like the chamber was enthralled as his godfather carried them all through what happened that night. How he was feeling uneasy that day and how he couldn't find Peter. How he went to Godric's hollow and found his brother in all but blood dead and his wife murdered. When he said he met Hagrid and he refused to give Harry to Sirius because Dumbledore had ordered otherwise he was having a hard time refraining from jumping over to the judge's table choking the headmaster to death.

"…he cast the Tickling Charm at me and turned into his Animagus form- a rat- and disappeared." He finished to silence.

The voices started and escalated leaving Madam Bones to restore the order. "In the light of that confession along with the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter I declare Sirius Orion Black cleared of all charges. And hope that the ministry can somehow compensate the eleven years you lost. Court adjourned!"

Harry pushed through the crowd as Sirius stood up rubbing his wrists. Completely disregarding that he had an image to maintain he flung himself at his godfather, embracing him.

After about a minute he pulled away.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this." Sirius said.

"Me too," Harry replied. "How do you fancy a trip to Norway in search for a lost castle after we get you checked out at St. Mungos?"

"Absolutely!" Sirius exclaimed. "I have about ten years catching up to do."

Harry grinned. "Welcome back, Lord Black."

A/N: I apologize for the poor writing on chapter nine and ten. I wrote them in a sort of haze while staring at the Fallout 4 download bar. And about Andy; I had to kill him off lest he become a Deus Ex Machina, a crutch to hold up the weirder part of the plot. I hope you understand. Thanks for reading!


	11. Relaxing Vacations

-Chapter 11-

 _Relaxing Vacations_

Harry felt like he really needed to reserve more time to admire the beauties of nature. The forest they were currently in was the most beautiful place he's been in all his life. Mostly because he had first eleven years of his life stuck in an abusive home and then in a school that he hated. After he got Sirius checked out by a privately hired Healer he had boarded the first plane to Norway.

"Couldn't hurt." The Healer had said after hearing his idea for a good relaxing vacation.

"This is _not_ what I call a relaxing vacation Harry!" Sirius shouted.

Harry ducked under a stray branch and jumped over a huge tree root. "Just shut up and run!"

So they did. Thanking every god that existed that he had upped his exercise quota Harry took a quick glance behind. He had hoped that they had managed to lose the seven foot tall furry creature with horns when a huge tree was suddenly fell forward and the creature jumped over the trunk the ground shaking thunderously when it landed. "Dammit!"

What Sirius had said was of course true. Harry had been hoping to relax after a crazy year. It was why he chose this forest. According to one of the travel guide to Norway, _Bymarka_ was one of the more peaceful forests with the added benefit of housing the castle he was looking for. Populated with harmless animals like elks, foxes and rabbits. There weren't even any dangerous magical creatures in this area if the wizarding travel guide was to be believed. They had heard a rumor that a mysterious white animal that resembled a bull lived in the jungle but had no reason to think that it was nothing more than that.

"It's not a rumor anymore…" he murmured and flung a blasting curse over his shoulder. And Sirius followed up with curse that Harry didn't recognize.

The spells did nothing to slow the beast down and appeared to have angered it even more.

"Why can't you Apparate both of us out of here?" Harry called over panting as he ran.

"And risk Splinching and getting stuck in a tree?" he shouted back "No bloody chance."

Trying something different Harry cast the most advanced Binding Charm he knew. Unfortunately his aim screwed up and a tree was wrapped up in large chains. He cast one after another hoping to get a lucky shot.

"Yes!" he exclaimed when a set of chains appeared around the creature's front legs. It let out a cry and fell over soil flying around everywhere.

His victory was short lived however when the creature broke the chain without difficulty and charged at them again. Harry took a left turn remembering something about a river that ran through the forest. He smiled when he saw the unmistaken sparkle of water in the distance. He turned around to ask if Sirius had seen the river and saw that he wasn't running anymore. Confused and panicked he stopped looking around. His eyes widened when he saw that the creature had stopped as well. Instead of chasing them it was sniffing a huge ball of what looked like plants mashed together that was hung on a tree branch.

Harry slowly walked towards where Sirius stood gaping at the now completely calm animal.

"Um…what?" he asked no one in particular.

"They like nirnroot and deathbell mixtures." A girl's dreamy voice came from behind him. "It calms them down."

Harry turned around his wand at the ready and was surprised to see a girl who looked about his age with dirty blonde hair and pale silvery eyes. She had a sort of wide-eyed look permanently etched onto her face. He couldn't help but think how cute she was.

"So it's not going to attack us anymore?" Harry asked warily eyeing the creature.

She shook her head. And in ten seconds the animal lay on the floor cleaning itself. Sighing in disbelief he turned to the girl.

"I'm Harry." He said smiling. "And this is-"

"Stubby Boardman!" the girl suddenly exclaimed.

"Who?" Harry asked blankly.

"He's the lead singer of The Hobgoblins," the girl continued. "He retired from public life after being struck in the ear by a turnip at a concert in Little Norton Church Hall ten years ago."

"Sirius is this true?" Harry asked without showing a hint of humor. "You never told me you were in a band."

"I'm not!" he denied. "But people do mistake me for him a lot."

"Nonsense." The girl said smiling brightly. "My daddy would love to have your autograph."

Harry was having a hard time holding back his laughter. "And come on we need to go now. The Snorkack won't stay like that forever."

Harry jogged a bit to keep up with the now skipping girl. "You never told me your name."

"Luna." she said with a smile. "Luna Lovegood."

"Nice to meet you." Harry said. "You're from Britain aren't you?"

She nodded.

"Wait Lovegood as in- the owner of The Quibbler?" he asked remembering a text he had read about ancient families.

Her eyes shone as she looked at him. "You read it?"

"I may have caught an issue or two." He replied. "When you said Snorkack you don't mean Crumpled Horned Snorkacks did you?"

"Yes." she said.

Harry bit back a laugh remembering the time Hermione had found out about the quirky magazine and went on a rant about mythical creatures. She had looked so adorable doing it that he didn't have the heart to tell her that even _they_ had first thought of dragons as mythical.

The girl suddenly stopped moving. " _You're_ Harry Potter."

"How'd you know?" he asked wondering how she had known since he scar was no longer there.

"If the man following us isn't Stubby Boardman, then he is Sirius Black," She said continuing her skipping. "There aren't any Black family members between age of ten or twelve and since you're obviously not a Malfoy, so-" she gestured with her hand. "Harry Potter."

"Nice deduction." Harry said impressed.

"That it was." Sirius said. "I see Celeste's genius passed onto her daughter."

Luna blushed. "You knew my mother?"

"She was after our time in Hogwarts." Sirius said. "But I've heard of her work as an expert spellcrafter."

"Before she died," Luna said sadly. "She really was."

"I'm sorry." Harry said not being able to imagine the feeling of losing someone that he care about after knowing them.

"It's okay it wasn't your fault." She said. "Daddy!"

"Here!" A middle aged man with blond stepped from behind a tree. Harry had to blink couple of times at the outrageous colors of his robe.

"Hello sir!" Harry greeted. "I'm Harry Potter and this is Stubby Boardman."

He bit back a laugh when the blond man's eyes widened in excitement.

* * *

Xenophilius Lovegood was, a rather odd man Harry realized as the evening progressed. After explaining that Sirius was not the famous singer and was exonerated the two of the struck up a conversation about recent events. Harry had been unable to provide in that area given that he hadn't spent more than a year in the magical world. Even if he didn't that much about it some of the things that Mr. Lovegood was telling Sirius seemed farfetched to him. Luna on the other hand while having a little of her conspiracy theorist father's personality was a sweet girl. She was a year younger than him and was expecting to start Hogwarts next year. And she was the complete opposite of Hermione. Whereas Hermione needed proof to believe anything Luna believed anything that seemed right to _her_.

"Are you here for a vacation?" she suddenly asked.

"Actually," Harry said. "I'm looking for the lost castle that is said to have been in this forest. Do you know anything about it?"

"Oh you mean the lost castle of Salazar Slytherin?"

Harry was stunned. "How did you know that? I only found out about it because of a book that was in the Potter library. I think there's only couple of copies left in the world."

"We have the other copy." Luna said.

Harry laughed. _That explains why they're here._

"What a coincidence…" he murmered.

"Do you want to look for it with me?" he offered smiling.

"Yes." She replied her eyes shining prettily. "Come on I'll show you how far we've gotten."

As she skipped away Harry felt something in his chest unclench. He had only felt that way about one other person in the world and she was thousands of miles away.

Sirius caught up with Harry and smiled knowingly.

"What?" Harry asked irritated.

"Not even twelve yet and you have girls swooning at your feet." He said. "First the Muggleborn girl that you won't shut up about and now Ms. Lovegood."

"Shut it Sirius." He said. "And not a word to Hermione when we go to meet her next month."

"Why?" Sirius asked. "Don't you want her to meet your newest _friend_?"

"Of course I do." Harry huffed. "I'd rather not have her thinking I'm going around the world picking up girls, which I'm pretty sure is what _you'd_ say to her if it was left to you."

"I'm hurt! Truly." Sirius said. "I wouldn't do that!"

"Yes you would." Harry deadpanned and jogged to catch up with the Luna.

"You're no fun anymore!" Sirius shouted at him.

* * *

"...so what makes you think you can find the castle when no one's been able to for a thousand years?" Luna asked.

He fished the map he had copied from the book out of his pocket. "Because I have this."

"So do we and we've been here for month all we've found is the rock formation." She said.

Knowing that she'd figure it out anyway he decided to tell her. "I'm also the last true heir of Slytherin."

Her eyes widened. "That's definitely a plus."

"We're here." She said after about a minute of walking. Harry stopped and eyed the snake shaped rock. "That's pretty big."

He had guessed that it would be a small carving on a rock or something. He didn't expect an actual snake shaped rock about twelve feet high.

"Wow… I'm surprised that no one found _that_ suspicious when looking for a mystery castle." Sirius said.

"I'm not." Harry said examining it. "No one knew it was Slytherin's castle so this is just a rock to them. A very unusually shaped rock but a rock nonetheless. Now the book says there's an inscription somewhere on it… ah found it."

"I can't read it." Luna said sounding dejected.

It took a while but Harry finally understood what language it was. "Bloody hell I didn't know you could _write_ in parseltongue!"

"Parseltongue?" Luna asked getting excited again. "You can speak to snakes?"

He hummed in response. "The inscription is a bunch of numbers."

Luna frowned staring at the map. She then held it up. "Does it look like these?"

She drew her finger along the outline of the map pointing to a string of numbers. Harry grinned and took the map. In seconds he found their destination and marked it.

"Let's go!"

* * *

"Where're you going?" Harry asked puzzled when the Lovegoods and Sirius turned left instead of right.

"What'd you mean? You said west right?" Sirius asked. "This is west."

Harry took out his wand and performed a point me spell as Sirius did the same. His eyebrows rose when Sirius got a different result than him.

"What do you think Mr. Lovegood?" Harry asked.

"I'm thinking a redirection ward." He said swiping his wand left and right in the air. "A very effective one too. Should be easy to create a small window so we can all pass."

"Worked with a lot wards?" Sirius asked.

"With a wife as an Arithmancy expert you pick up a thing or two." Mr. Lovegood said smiling wistfully.

They got to work.

* * *

"Whoa…"Harry said.

"That's the word." Sirius agreed.

The castle resembled Hogwarts in design but was significantly bigger. It was encased in twenty feet high stone wall with a large door as the only entrance. Two stone snake gargoyles stood on both sides of the door, the only statues that didn't seem dilapidated at all. Harry turned to the group a serious expression on his face.

"I think it's safe to assume that this no one has lived in this castle for at least a thousand years." He said. "But with the redirection wards still working I think we can expect more safeguards. Given my status as heir of Slytherin I think I should go first."

"Absolutely not!" Sirius said looking around and sending out basic scanning spells. "We don't what kind of dangers that bastard put there. You're going to stay right here while Xeno and I check everything."

"Too late." Luna said gazing excitedly as Harry ran towards the door.

"HARRY!" Sirius shouted and ran after him.

"Sirius wait," Xeno said with grabbing his arm. "He's right. He's got the best chance at bypassing any safeguards."

Harry chuckled when he heard Sirius' ranting. He shot back a look. "I'll be fine Sirius!"

"Harry watch out!" Luna suddenly cried. Harry skidded to a halt just as the stone gargoyles that had come to life jumped at him. Harry ducked and the snakes landed behind him the impact shaking the ground.

§Hey-hey stop!§ Harry hissed as loudly as he could. The snakes froze in position.

§You speak the language§ a snake said.

§Identify yourself!§ the other said.

§Harry James Potter§

§Potter? Peverell!§ one of them cried as if suddenly remembering something. §Scum! Come to finish the job have you?! You'll die before!§

Harry rolled to his side. §What job?§ he hissed. §And who the hell is Peverell?§

§Stop lying you traitor!§ the gargoyle said. §You've come to destroy this castle just like you ancestors tried to centuries ago! §

 _That explains how that book ended up in the Potter library._ Harry rolled away once more cursing the author for leaving out such important information.

§Look I'm not here to destroy anything!§ Harry said panting. §I am the last true heir of Salazar Slytherin and I just want to look around.§

§Ha!§ one scoffed. §If you were a heir you would've already ordered us to stop!§

Harry stopped moving. Was it really that simple?

§Stop§ he said and stop they did. Chuckling at his own stupidity he waved to the group. "Hey come on guys it's alright!"

He turned to the gargoyles. §You two are not transfigurations are you? §

§Of course not! § A snake said indignant. §We were both in the royal guard to Lord Slytherin. He created two magical automations when we died and bound us both to them. We have been protecting the castle ever since. §

§Against your will?§

They laughed. §He never made any of his followers do anything that we didn't want to do!§

 _I find that hard to believe…_

Harry nodded anyway and began to eye the automations up and down his mind running mile a minute.

"If I could just cut one of these open…" he muttered. Hearing footsteps he looked over his shoulder.

"Hello Harry." Luna said staring wide eyed at the moving snakes.

"They look pretty awesome don't they?" Harry asked.

Luna hummed. "Do you think they'll mind if we wanted to take a look inside them?"

"Maybe later," Harry said grinning at where her thoughts were. "I want to take a look inside."

* * *

According to the snake guardians the castle and the ground has been in lockdown for about two hundred years after the Potter's attacked last. With the gargoyle's guidance Harry was able to disable the security wards around the door and enter.

§Tell me, § Harry asked the snakes. §How does this last heir thing work? Is the castle mine now? §

§If you can control us, then it's yours§ the snake replied.

The interior also resembled Hogwarts strongly but predictably had snake patterns everywhere. Harry snickered.

"What it is?" Sirius asked.

"I just couldn't help but think Salazar Slytherin saying to the other founders something like 'You won't listen to me? Fine! I'm going to go to Norway and build my own castle with snakes instead of dumb lions and badgers. And you're not invited!'" he said and Luna broke out laughing.

"That might be more accurate than you think." She said.

Most of the wooden furniture in the castle was rotten and there was dust everywhere. But to his surprise he didn't see a single spider web which struck him as weird. There were dust-covered paintings hung on the hallways from one end to another. There were pieces of decaying armor with skeletons still inside them. Remembering something he stopped.

"Guys stop!" he said. "This place might not be dangerous for me but who know what lies inside?"

Thinking for a minute Harry ran out of the ward-line and took out the magical messaging device that he had brought. It worked using the same principle as portkeys, sending out small letters made out of wood that arranged themselves on the other end to the order that the user wanted.

'Found the castle. Apparently its mine.' He typed on the keypad. 'Send in the curse breakers and archivists.'

After about fifteen minutes in which Luna tried to ride one of the snakes and Sirius tried to put on a suit of armor from a skeleton and Harry and Xeno talked about the creatures mentioned in Quibbler- the curse breakers and the archivists arrived.

Harry walked up one who seemed to be in charge.

"Hi... I'm Harry Potter," he said sticking out his hand. The redheaded man took it. "You are?"

"Bill Weasley, Lord Potter." The man replied grinning.

"It's just Harry Mr. Weasley." Harry said and then turned to the gathered group. "Now you all of you must be wondering why I called you out to Norway today. Ladies and gentlemen I present to you- the lost castle of Salazar Slytherin."

He dramatically gestured with his hands as all of them gasped in excitement. There were six in the curse-breaking group who were wearing protective gear. "I think it's goes without saying that until the curse breakers are done the others are not to step inside."

Most of them visibly deflated.

"But that's one of thing we want check out!" a balding archivist said. "It'd be interesting to see what kind of wards that the founders used."

Harry looked at the other group disbelievingly. "Absolutely not! Because I don't want to inform your company that one of you died because they decided to stick a sword inside his gut because he was fascinated by the poisons that the founders used. Just let Mr. Weasley and his colleagues do their job. After that... go nuts."

Harry nodded his head at the curse breakers. "Go ahead."

They walked towards the huge doors, taking out various equipment from their bags.

"You all are sworn to secrecy right?" Harry asked the others. "I mean at least I decide to release you from it?"

"Yes Lord Potter." said a girl with an American accent who appeared to be in her early twenties. She stepped out of the group. "My name is Claire Horton. I'm leading this session."

Harry shook her offered hand. "Nice to meet you."

"I don't know how long it will take for the curse breakers to clear the whole castle so while they are doing that why don't I introduce you to two gargoyles guarding the gate?" Harry said walking backwards. Claire jogged to catch up.

"What do you mean?" she asked intrigued.

Grinning Harry called the snakes in parseltongue. §Hey guys! Come on down here! §

All of them jumped when the snakes were suddenly animated and jumped down. They hissed at the newcomers.

"You're a Parseltongue!" Claire said excitedly. "That's how you found the castle when no one ever could for hundreds of years! Oh this is going to be very interesting."

"They talk too," Harry said. "Want me to translate?"

"Yes please!" Claire replied taking out a quick-quotes quill and a notepad while other archivists scrambled around them.

* * *

After the initial survey was done Harry had declared that they should probably turn in for the night. Partly because he was tired and partly because he wanted Sirius to get some rest.

Leaning back on his bed he dialed Hermione.

"Harry! How are you?" her voice came. "How's Sirius? Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Calm down Hermione." He said chuckling. "And yes. I found the castle. We're coming back in a few days and I'll tell you all about it."

"Oh alright." She replied. "So are you going to live with Sirius now?"

"Yes," he said unable to hide his mirth. "He said since I already cleaned up Potter Manor, both of us should just live there."

She was silent for a second. "Did he know about your twin sister?"

"He did not." Harry said. "But I didn't expect him to. Dumbledore thought about everything it seems. Everything except Muggle technology."

"He was Obliviated?"

"Yeah," Harry said unconsciously turning to where Sirius' room was. "He was _not_ happy about when he find out. Seriously where does Dumbledore get off? Messing with people's lives like this?"

"I know. Wait- when did Dumbledore got a chance to Obliviate Sirius? He was in Azkaban when the headmaster delivered you to the Dursleys. " She said.

"He probably did it when Sirius was in remand or something."

"Probably." She said. "We'll talk in a few days. Take care, Harry."

"You too." He ended the call. Tossing the phone on his bed unceremoniously he sighed, the year's events finally catching up to him. He couldn't believe how close he had come to actually dying in the last months. With a steely breath he promised himself to make the next year as boring and non-life threatening as possible.

"Fat chance." He said to the empty room.

* * *

 _A few days later…._

"I'll get it!" Elizabeth shouted when the doorbell rang. She opened the door and smiled when she saw who it was.

"Harry!" she greeted. "Come in!"

"Thanks." he replied taking the offered seat. He got down to business. "So before you enroll in Hogwarts we need to take care of some things. Your name, specifically."

"What's wrong with my name?" she asked.

"Nothing. Your last name can't be wright if you're going to attend Hogwarts. Dumbledore would recognize it instantly." He said.

"How about Evans then? That was our mother's maiden name wasn't it?"

"Elizabeth Lily Evans?" Harry asked. "Are you kidding me? That's even worse. What was your mother's maiden name?"

"Clarke." She said.

"Let's use that then." The-Boy-Who-Lived said. "Can you come with me to the Manor now? My godfather wants to meet you."

"I can't believe Lily had twins and I forgot about it." Sirius said shaking Elizabeth's hand and a hint of anger in his voice.

"No one knew." Remus said. "Not even me."

They were lounging around in the living room. Tom and Harry was working on falsifying Elizabeth's birth certificate the muggle way. Harry looked up from his work checked the time on his wrist watch. "Hermione should be here any moment."

Precisely at that moment there was a soft pop. The smile on Harry's face disappeared when instead of Hermione an elf stood in the middle of the living room wearing what looked like a dirty pillow case. An elf he had never seen before.

"Hello?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Harry Potter!" said the elf. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir…"

"Okay… who are you?" he asked, getting to the point. "And what do you want?"

"Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter, to warn him, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later…Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts." Dobby said.

There a minute of silence.

"And why would I do such a thing?"

"Harry Potter must stay where he is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger." Dobby said.

"Why?"

"There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. He is too important, sir!"

"Who is your master Dobby?" Harry asked intrigued.

At this Dobby made a choking noise and started to bang his head on a nearby lamp post. Rolling his eyes he pulled the elf away from the object. He knew that the magic involved would not let the elf betray their master's secrets, but it was worth a try. He turned to Sirius.

"If I try to Legimency on an elf, would it work then?" he asked.

Sirius shook his head. "Unless you want to end up in St. Mungo's for extensive brain damage I don't think it's a good idea."

"That's what I thought. It would be a pretty big security loophole if people could do that anyway." He said. "So there's no way to find out who owns Dobby?"

All of them shook their heads. Harry looked at the elf. "Thank you so much for warning me."

After waling a bit about how great wizard Harry Potter was Dobby apparated away. Harry sat back down resumed work. He was halfway through birth certificate when he realized that everyone was looking at him.

"What?" he asked.

"So you're not a least bit concerned about that?" Tom asked. "A house elf came to warn you about 'mortal danger' in Hogwarts this year –risking its own life, mind you- and you don't even care."

"I know." Harry said. "If I can't find who that elf belongs to there's nothing I can do about it."

"Nothing you can do about what?" a girl's voice came from behind him.

Harry turned around and seeing Hermione smiled widely. "Hey! You're here!"

He jumped over the sofa to give her a hug. His eyes closed involuntary when he inhaled her scent. He couldn't believe how much he had missed her. They pulled apart to the sound of a throat clearing.

"So are you going to introduce me?" Elizabeth asked with a smile.

"Right," he said. "This is Sirius, this is Remus- you already know Tom and this is my sister- Elizabeth. And this is Hermione, my best friend."

"Nice to meet you all," Hermione greeted, smiling. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you too Hermione," Sirius said. "Harry tells you helped get me out of Azkaban. Thank you."

She blushed at the praise. "Oh it was nothing."

"So you're the Hermione I've keep hearing about." His sister said. "I'm the long lost sister. You can call me Liza."

"So what's going on?" Hermione asked sitting down where Harry sat before.

"Mortal danger at Hogwarts." Harry said and proceeded tell her about the elf's warning. Needless to say she was incensed at the slavery part of the story.

"Is there any way we can free Dobby?" she asked.

"Like I said only the owner can free him." Harry said.

After he was finished she looked thoughtful. "So there's no way to find out who owns this elf or what this danger is?"

"Not really." Remus said.

"Oh well." She shrugged and turned to Harry. "So what did you find at the castle?"

The rest of them shared a look at Hermione indifference about the warning. Sirius mouthed a wide eyed 'wow' at Remus.

Remus only smiled.

* * *

A/N – Sorry for the long wait. I wasn't exactly happy with this chapter but it'll have to do for now. Next one will be updated soon.


	12. The Writing on the Wall

-Chapter 12-

 _The Writing on the Wall_

"No Liza they're not being insulting to old ladies; they are really type of what –people? Creatures? Whatever- called hags in the magical world." Harry explained patiently to his sister.

"So what about vampires?" she asked following Harry into the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione and her parents who were talking with Liza's family came in after them.

They earned more than a few looks from the patrons but Harry ignored them. "I've never met any myself. But I can tell you with certainty that none of them glisten in the sunlight. If they do it's because they are being burned alive."

"Was that hard to find out?" Liza asked smirking.

"It wasn't but even if it was, it'd been worth it.." he replied seriously. He narrowed his eyebrows when a man dressed in expensive suit approached them.

"Lord Potter?" the man gushed. "I'm Jordan Pace, let me just say how glad I am that you've decided to join our society."

"Thank you Mr. Pace." Harry said through a forced smile. "Is there something I can do for you?"

Mr. Pace blustered. "Yes, actually. I'm here on behalf of-"

Harry interrupted him. "You know what? How about you owl my solicitor and make an appointment? I'm kind of busy right now. You understand right?"

"Oh of course, Lord Potter!" he said. "Forgive me. I'll make an appointment then."

"You do that." Harry said and walked pass him.

"What was that about?" Liza asked.

"Who knows?" he replied.

They exited the Leaky Cauldron and Harry took out his wand tapping at the bricks that separated the Diagon Alley from the muggle London.

He turned to Elizabeth's parents when the archway opened. "Wrights you guys are with me. Everyone else get what you need and meet us at the um- Flourish and Blotts. Got it?"

* * *

"Gilderoy Lockhart-" Elizabeth read the sign in front of Flourish and Blotts. "Wasn't that the guy who wrote half of the books in that letter you got me?"

Harry nodded and waved when he saw the rest of their group walking towards them, bags full of stuff hanging from their hands.

The crowd around the bookshop consisted mostly of middle-aged witches trying to get inside. The doorman looked like he had just about enough and was about to pull out his wand. Harry snickered at the sight.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione said. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Harry raised an eyebrow but refrained from commenting.

Entering the shop they grabbed copies Standard Book of Spells Grade 1 for Elizabeth and the Grade 2 for Harry and Hermione. He and Hermione had long past gone Grade 4 in their private studies, much to the delight of the bushy-haired girl. Liza had wanted to join but had decided to wait until she had her own wand.

They were at the register when a voice called out. "It _can't_ be, Harry Potter?"

The crowd suddenly parted an excited whisper running through the shop. The photographer for the Daily Prophet raised his camera and Harry and the Gilderoy Lockhart reached forward, grabbing his arm. Harry instinctively raised his other arm and clasped it down on the man's wrist. He yelped in pain backed away.

"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Harry asked irritated. "Touch me again and you'll lose that hand."

Lockhart chuckled nervously rubbing his hand. "Like to joke around, do you Harry?"

"Why don't you try it again and find out?" Harry asked smiling.

Lockhart let out a strangled laugh and gestured to the cameraman.

"You snap that picture and the Daily Prophet can expect a harassment lawsuit heading its way." A voice said from behind him.

"Ah Mr. Kirkland, how nice of you to join us." Harry said, greeting his solicitor. The photographer lowered the camera reluctantly.

Harry knew that he was coming off as a bit arrogant but he couldn't help it. Everything about this Gilderoy Lockhart from his perfectly combed hair, expensive robes and the shark-like smile, just felt _off_ to him. Lockhart swallowed visibly but the smile never left his face.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, getting everyone's attention-Harry guessed in an attempt to save some face. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time!

"When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography-"

"No I don't." Harry said casually taking full advantage of the fact that he was a kid, generating snickers all around.

"Which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge —" Lockhart continued ignoring him. The crowd applauded again. "He had no idea that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September; I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and Harry found himself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Forcing down the urge to curse at the man Harry placed the book set on a nearby desk.

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing.

" _Famous_ Harry Potter, oh sorry was that _Lord_ Potter?" said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"I don't have time or the patience for your shit Malfoy." Harry said not even looking at him, cursing magical contracts for not having a way to keep annoying arseholes away from him. The one he had signed with Draco only covered his inclusion in Black family and not being able to harm Harry or his friends, a clause that he could update at a later date if he wanted to. Otherwise Draco was free to do whatever he wanted. Which he thought was quite a waste, but the one who had made the contract was very clear about it. Besides the ponce might be useful later down the line. Preferably as a human shield.

He was about to exit the shop when someone crossed his path. Closing his eyes he took a breath calming himself. _Why couldn't he get a break?_

"Lord Potter," the man said. "Lucius Malfoy, we meet at last."

Staring at the offered hand, Harry's mind instantly flashed back.

" _My father wanted to teach you a lesson," Draco said. "He wanted me to ask some of the older students to take Granger and… you know."_

Pure rage rose up in his chest; his body suddenly filled with magic, threatening to break out. The inside of the shop groaned under the pressure. He released his wand from his wrist holster.

"Mr. Malfoy…" He said, vaguely noticing that they had attracted quite a crowd. Harry shook his hand glaring at him. He internally smiled when Mr. Malfoy winced at his look.

"I've been waiting to meet you for quite some time Mr. Malfoy." He said.

"Why is that?" Mr. Malfoy said looking confused.

A grin came to his face. "You've been threatening my friends, Mr. Malfoy. And I don't take too kindly to that sort of thing."

"Lord Potter I think you're mistaken-"

Harry suddenly stepped closer, cutting Mr. Malfoy off.

"Listen to me you prick," he whispered menacingly. "I know what you did, and if I think I could get away with It, I would've already killed you where you stand. You want to teach me a lesson? Then come after _me_! Leave my friends out of it, or-"

"-or what?" Lucius replied smirking.

Harry grinned back. " _Or_ dying will be the least of your worries."

Stepping away Harry nodded at him, all traces of anger on his face completely masked. "It's good to meet you Mr. Malfoy."

He turned around and walked out of the shop, the magic built-up in his body dying down.

"Harry!" Hermione called him. "Harry, wait!"

He stopped and glanced at her through the crowd. "What?"

"Are you alright?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

"No." he said. "I'm not."

She took his hand and they started towards the Fortescue ice cream parlor. "You really need to control your magic better Harry. It was getting hard to breathe in there."

"Sorry." He said.

"It's all right." She said. "While there's plenty of reasons to hate Lucius Malfoy, the way you talked to him seemed personal. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I guess you have a right to know." He sighed. After making sure Hermione's parents were out of earshot, he told her. "Remember the contract I had drawn up between me and Draco so that he won't be banished from the Black family? When he and I were talking about it he told me that his father had told him to tell a couple of older Slytherins to take you. And… well you can guess the rest."

Hermione froze in place and she looked like she wanted to throw up.

"H-He'd do _that_ to a child just to get back at you?" she said, her voice shaking.

Harry smiled mirthlessly. "That was the kind of person that our dear Headmaster hired to teach a school full of children. And don't worry about dear old Lucius. He'll get what's coming to him and then some."

* * *

The summer ended faster than any of them could believe. Elizabeth had joined Harry and Hermione in their accelerated training sessions. Remus and Sirius provided much needed guidance in area's that Harry didn't excel at and by the time last day of holiday loomed closer, Harry and Hermione had progressed near fifth year level in their studies and Elizabeth coming close to third. Even if it was just the practical sides of Defense, Transfiguration and Charms.

The topic of Elizabeth's brief flight came up on more than one occasion. After trying really hard and failing Harry deduced that it was probably because of the bindings on her magic had been weakened. And pent up magic probably acted up giving her a boost. Still it was quite impressive.

* * *

Harry had an elf Apparate the three families right onto platform 9 ¾. After saying goodbye Harry, Hermione and Elizabeth entered the train and started looking for an empty cabin. Well Hermione and his sister was, he was looking for the cute blonde he had encountered on his trip to Norway. He found her in the third one he checked reading a copy of the Quibbler.

"This one." Harry nodded his head toward the cabin. Hermione frowned when she saw the girl in it.

He slid the door open and the girl looked up. A wide smile graced her face when she saw him.

"Harry!" she greeted.

"Hi Luna," he said taking a seat across from her. "It's good to see you again."

Hermione taking the seat next to Harry-who was still staring at Luna with a smile-and cleared her throat loudly. He blushed and turned to her. "You want to introduce us?"

"R-Right," he said. "Hermione, Elizabeth this is Luna Lovegood, I met her in Norway. Luna this is Hermione Granger my best friend. And this is Elizabeth Clarke she's my um… she's a family friend."

Luna's wide smile turned to Hermione and she blushed when she noticed how pretty the girl was. She didn't understand it. She didn't lean _that_ way… did she? She stowed that thought away for a later date to ponder. Hermione then remembered what Harry had just said.

"You met her in Norway?" she asked. "How come you never told us?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "Guess I forgot."

Hermione nearly scoffed. Even she'd have hard time forgetting a girl like Luna.

"So how was your summer?" Harry asked finally collecting himself. "Did you find any the Snorkack nest like you wanted?"

She sighed sadly. "No. We were following the one that was chasing you but it ran away when it saw a muggle tour guide."

"Oh well, better luck next time then." Harry said. "What about-"

"Hold on a minute there," Hermione interrupted. "Are you saying those silly creatures in the Quibbler actually exist?"

"They're not silly!" Luna said a bit angry. "And of course they exist! Didn't Harry tell you about the Snorkack that was chasing him?"

"From the look on her face I think Harry left out quite a bit of his trip." Elizabeth chimed in.

Hermione turned to the boy in question who was trying to look anywhere but at her. After about a minute of glaring on her part he smiled apologetically. "What? Lots things happened on that trip!"

"Apparently." She deadpanned.

* * *

"…Elizabeth Clarke!" McGonagall called out.

Elizabeth couldn't help but think CGI in movies and in TV didn't even come close to seeing a magical castle with her own eyes. While the magical ceiling could still be achieved by using special effects it was still impressive. She sat down on the stool and the professor placed the hat upon her head.

" _Oh my! The other Potter!"_ it said in her head and she immediately panicked.

 _Don't worry child, I'm sworn to secrecy to anyone who places me on their head._ The hat reassured her. _Your secrets are safe._

'Oh thank god.'

 _You're quite different from your brother I have to say._ It said. _When he found out that I knew of his true heritage of him descending from Salazar Slytherin, he threatened me._

Elizabeth chuckled. 'Sounds like something he would do. So does that mean I'm an heir to this Slytherin dude too?'

 _You're a heir to Godric Gryffindor, just like your father._ It replied. _But I don't think you want to be there do you?_

'I don't.' She said. 'Put me in Ravenclaw.'

 _Are you sure?_

'Yes.' She said.

 _Alright._ The hat said before bellowing, "Ravenclaw!"

Predictably Luna was sorted to Ravenclaw as well. To Harry it wasn't much of surprise given her intelligence. Hermione looked a bit miffed when Luna sat down right next to him, but flushed when the girl smiled at her. Harry eyes widened a bit at that but didn't give it much thought.

Dumbledore was giving his usual start of the year speech. He announced that they had a new defense teach and a new history teacher before introducing Gilderoy Lockhart and Michael Nooks. Harry groaned when heard the name of the imposter. "Oh come on! Not Lockhart!"

"Why is there a problem with this 'Lockhart'?" Luna asked.

"Yeah," Hermione answered. "He's a complete fake. I'm so glad Harry is teaching us. Do you want to join us too?"

Luna nodded happily. Like she'd pass a chance to spend more time with Harry.

* * *

Elizabeth received her schedule from the Transfiguration professor. She frowned when she read through it. "Um… professor McGonagall there's no language, maths or science class in here. Is there some sort of mistake?"

McGonagall looked at her puzzled. "What do you mean by language, maths and science?"

"Oh I forgot to tell you," Harry interrupted. "They don't offer those in here."

"But-"

"Hopefully we'll be able to fix that," he said and nodded at McGonagall. "Professor I'm sure I'll see you at the next school board meeting?"

"Lord Potter what are you talking about?" she asked.

"You'll find out then Professor." Harry said. "Someone have to drag this school to twenty first century."

"Are you implying that Hogwarts curriculum is outdated?" McGonagall asked her mouth thinned to a line.

"Hermione?" he asked. "Want to comment?"

Hermione looked up from the book she was reading.

"It is." She said. "Hogwarts is the only magical school in Europe that doesn't offer even the most basic language class. Not to mention it's missing any kind of arts class, wizarding economics and lot of others. Other countries don't even recognize the history degree. I can only hope the new professor Dumbledore hired will be able to fix that."

McGonagall stared at her student dumbly. "How come I'm only finding out about this now?"

Hermione shrugged. "Why don't you ask the headmaster? He's the one who hired a Death Eater to teach children."

"I'll think do just that Ms. Granger." She said before taking off in the direction of the elderly wizard.

The rest of morning was eventful as Ron Weasley received a howler from his mother. Apparently the magical portal to platform 9 ¾ had been closed and the Weasley had driven a magical enhanced car to get to school. Harry winced when he learned that the redhead had crash landed into the Whomping Willow. The guy was lucky to be alive.

* * *

Harry and rest sat down for lunch after a long first day. And they still had a half a day left to go. It took a while for him to notice that he was being watched. Not the ones usually got from fellow classmates, that is to say girls- no this felt a bit creepy. Looking up, he saw the very small, mousy-haired boy he'd seen trying on the Sorting Hat last night staring at Harry as though transfixed. He was clutching what looked like an ordinary Muggle camera, and the moment Harry looked at him, he went bright red.

 _Well that's a first._

"All right, Harry? I'm-I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor D'you think-would it be all right if-can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"A picture?" Harry asked and the boy nodded before started rambling.

"…and then, could you sign it?" he finished out of breath.

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Harry heard Malfoy shout and he had to calm himself from cursing the loudmouthed idiot. Something he seemed to be doing a lot. He turned around seeing the blond flanked by the two usual stooges.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the hall. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"Yes! The first one goes to whoever shuts this idiot up!" Harry shouted back smirking. Draco's eyes widened in fear when a couple of girls about two years older than them approached him.

Harry laughed as Draco walked as quickly as he could without running.

* * *

Lockhart reached forward, picked up someone's from the front row's copy of his book _Travels with Trolls_ and held it up for the class.

"Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award — but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

Luna and Elizabeth exchanged a look.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books-"

"Not by choice…" Elizabeth muttered under her breath, making Luna chuckle.

"-well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about — just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in —"

Luna frowned when she read the quiz. _What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?_ _What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

She was never known for keeping quite when she had something to say so she raised her hand.

"Yes, miss…?"

"Lovegood, sir." Luna said. "What is the meaning of this quiz sir? Why should we participate in what is an obviously a test designed to inflate your ego? We came to Hogwarts to learn and not to see who the best Gilderoy Lockhart fan is by writing these kinds of quizzes."

She had said this without a hint of humor on her face and laughter rang throughout the classroom, making Lockhart go red.

"Oh dear…" Elizabeth said laughing. "You are something else."

"What do you mean?" Luna asked, puzzled.

"Never mind, "Elizabeth said. "You're on with us for training tonight right?"

"Yeah."

"You'll see," Liza said. "Harry's really good."

Luna shrugged, not necessarily concerned about his skills of teaching. She was looking for a way to spend time with Harry anyway. He did funny thing to her body when they were together. Even the thought of him brought a smile to her face, something almost never happened since that day. She could still remember clear as ever, the day she lost her mother. Her father- who was a quite an energetic man had gone gradually quieted down since then. He had sunken into the magazine, going so far as to organizing long-term trips to distant countries in search of the rare creatures that interested him. When her father got this way Luna had used to visit their neighbors the Weasleys. But even Ginny had slowly lost interest in her, not enough to stop being her friend but enough to make her feel left out.

Luna had then met Harry on one of the trips, and suddenly she had new friend. She had been dreading coming to Hogwarts this year before but the moment she met him, that feeling had disappeared. He had been incredibly easy to talk to, taking all of her quirks-that she couldn't really help- in stride. And in a long time she was happy. She wanted feel that way again, she wanted be with him.

Lockhart finally recovering himself bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage placing it on it.

"Now — be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind!"

Luna highly doubted that, but got interested anyway.

"You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. " _Freshly caught Cornish pixies!"_

Luna raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, Miss Lovegood?" Lockhart asked with trepidation.

"Well- they're not very dangerous are they sir?"

"Really?" Lockhart said loudly. "Then let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

The classroom erupted in chaos as the creatures started zipping around, making a huge mess.

"The Freezing Charmin 3?" Luna asked from Liza. She nodded and after counting to three, they both spoke in unison. " _Immobules!"_

All of the blue creatures were suspended in place and Luna turned to the professor. "Like I said sir, not that dangerous."

* * *

Harry and Hermione walked out of the corridor and into the entrance hall. Both of them had been invited to the Headless Nick's death day party- and it had been horrible. He was hoping to catch up with Luna and his sister at dinner. He hoped neither of them had any trouble fitting in, like he did when he first came here. He had restarted their training a few days ago, and he had been pleasantly surprised that Luna was just as talented as the rest of them were. He had been thinking about starting proper combat training, after having some sessions with his two new uncles over the holidays. Since they had some experience in the area they had been more than happy to provide the assistance that he needed, after all they all knew that Voldemort was still out there.

He looked at his walking companion. After Luna had joined him with the training, Hermione had taken to the habit of running her arm through his every time they went somewhere. He couldn't help but sigh at the feeling of her warm body so close to him. There was something about her, that made his heart race every time he saw her and sometimes it even interfered with his work. And to make matters worse he now felt the same things around Luna as well, although not to the same extent (but he suspected that it'd catch up to the same as Hermione soon). Not that he wanted it to stop, the feeling was very welcome- like right now. There was no one around, just the two of them. He pulled her closer to him.

Hermione's head snapped up to him in surprise. She blushed when she saw the expression on his face. Harry opened his mouth to say something, when he heard the voice.

"… _rip…tear…kill…"_

It was cold and murderous sending chills down his spine. Alarmed he pulled out his wand.

"Harry?" Hermione asked, confused. "What's wrong?"

"You don't hear that voice?" he asked.

"What voice?"

"… _kill…time to kill…"_

" _That_." Harry said.

"I don't hear anything." she said a bit of fear showing on her face.

"Hmm." Harry said slowly starting towards the other end of the hallway. "It's moving away from us."

He grabbed Hermione's wrist and broke into a jog. "Let's go, it says it's time to kill…"

"Harry," Hermione said struggling to keep up with Harry's pace. "I've seen this movie before, it's the moment we both get killed by axe wielding maniacs!"

Harry chuckled. "I highly doubt that axe-wielding maniac can stand against grade four fire curses."

They ran up the stairs three at a time. The voice spoke again. " _…I smell blood… I SMELL BLOOD!"_

"I think it's going to kill." Harry muttered and upped his pace.

They ran around the whole floor, Harry having let go of Hermione's hand so she could run with him. They turned the last corner and ended up on a deserted corridor. Both of them took a second to catch their breath, all the while inspecting the hallway.

"There." Hermione pointed.

There were words written on the right wall, in deep red ink, although Harry doubted it was ink though.

 _THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE_

It took a while for him to remember what the Chamber of Secrets of was, and it looked like Hermione already had. But before either of them could say anything he noticed something else. The whole place was flooded, and there was something hanging underneath the words.

It was Filch's cat. She was hanging upside down from a torch bracket her eyes wide and staring. Both of the Ravenclaws was silent for a second.

"We should leave," Harry finally suggested. "I don't like this one bit."

But it was too late. A rumbling sound marked the end of the feast and in moments the whole corridor was flooded by well-fed students on their way to their dorms. The noise suddenly died as the people at the front spotted the hanging cat. Harry and Hermione stood in the middle of the mass of students pushing forward to see the grisly sight.

The someone shouted through the quiet.

"Enemies of the Heir, beware! You'll be next Mudbloods!"

The voice was unmistakably the blond ponce's.

"Did you just threaten every Muggleborn inside the school?" Harry said, with hand over his mouth. "You did this didn't you!?"

Draco lost his smile, starting to sputter. While it was obvious that Harry was mocking him, some Muggleborns gathered stared at the Malfoy heir in apprehension. Luna and Elizabeth pushed through the crowd coming to stand next to them. Harry flashed a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He had a really bad feeling about this.

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Attracted no doubt by both his and Malfoy's shouting, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked. And his popping eyes fell on Harry. Harry stared back with indifference.

"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat!"

"I advise against casting accusations like that Mr. Filch." Harry said calmly. "Also Draco sort of took responsibility."

"I did not!" Draco shouted back and Harry rolled his eyes.

"You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll —" Filch ranted, apparently not hearing him.

"Argus!"

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Harry's group and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Lord Potter, Miss Granger."

This time Harry held back on making a comment, as the headmaster had a valid concern at the moment. He gave Luna and his sister a reassuring smile.

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. "My office is nearest, Headmaster — just upstairs — please feel free —"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The crowd let them pass, and in moments they were at Lockhart's office examining the cat. And the man himself was walking around the place making suggestions and boasting at the same time. Harry considered bringing out his wand and silencing the man for good.

"She's not dead, Argus," Dumbledore finally said. Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

"Not dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all — all stiff and frozen?"

"She has been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say…"

"Ask him!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tearstained face to Harry.

"Oh yes," Harry said. "The second year boy somehow found a way to perform extremely advanced Dark Magic, and just let his victim hanging on the corridor for everyone to see, and waited so he could get caught. Brilliant reasoning, Mr. Filch."

Hermione looked down at the floor, struggling not to laugh out loud. The headmaster looked at him with twinkling eyes and Harry wondered if the man would try to use Legimency on him. He didn't.

"I have to agree with Lord Potter, Albus," McGonagall chimed in. "He may be just behind Miss Granger in his year, but I doubt that hardly qualifies as having the ability to cast such advanced spells."

Professor Flitwick nodded. "Indeed, the evidence against Lord Potter is just circumstantial."

"You may go." Dumbledore said.

Both of them got out of the room quickly intending to find the other two of their group. Luna and Elizabeth was waiting outside of the office, and with them at their tail they quickly entered an empty classroom.

"Okay I'm officially freaked out," Elizabeth said. "What the hell's going on?"

"What do you guys know about the school's founders?" Harry asked the younger two.

"A bit," Luna said. "I read that sometime after the foundation of Hogwarts three of the founders had a disagreement between the other."

"Let me guess, Salazar Slytherin?" Elizabeth asked.

"He wanted the school to be attended only by students pure of blood," Harry continued. "In other words the established 28 families - blood at least that's what everyone thinks. The stories say the he built a secret chamber inside the school. And when the time comes his heir will come and open it, unleashing a monster to cleanse the school."

"And that's what I don't get," Hermione said, her eyebrows scrunched up. "We all know who the last true heir of Slytherin is, and obviously he's not doing this…"

Harry pouted at being referred to in third person. Hermione ignored him.

"...and that only leaves the other one." Hermione said. "Which is unlikely. Unless Voldemort's inside the school again."

"I thought he died?" Elizabeth asked. "Didn't Harry defeat him last year?"

"He's not dead." Harry said. "Because I highly doubt that Quirrell was with him when the killing curse bounced back at him and destroyed his body. Which means he's possessed Quirrell's at a later date which in turns means he can leave his body when it gets destroyed."

"So he's possessing someone inside the school?" Elizabeth asked.

"It's possible," Harry said. "But who?"

"Draco Malfoy?" Luna suggested. "I saw that there is some tension between the two of you, and his family supports the pureblood agenda."

Harry laughed. "I can see how you'd come to that conclusion, but it's not him. Voldemort evil he may be-is a pretty smart guy- if he _is_ possessing someone inside the school it's someone who we wouldn't even think twice about, someone who would easily blend in, a student who's not in the spotlight at all."

No one came to his mind. He sighed turning to Hermione. "We still haven't eaten, wanna ask Kippy to bring us something?"

Hermione nodded. "We'll talk about this tomorrow- I just remembered-we are going to try out for the Quidditch team tomorrow aren't we?"

"Right," Elizabeth said. "So I'll finally find out what this Quidditch thing is."

"It's basically set of lawsuits against the school for child endangerment," Harry said as they walked to their dorms. "But the game looks fun, I mean you _do_ get to actually fly."

"Hurray!" Hermione said with fake enthusiasm, already dreading it. She only hoped that she wouldn't fall and die.


	13. Turned

-Chapter 13-

 _Turned_

The Quidditch practice turned out to be nothing alike compared to the last year. And Harry was honestly surprised to find out that he was natural at flying. Within moments he was zipping about the place like he'd been doing it all his life. All of his classmates had gaped at him when he reached top speed on the worn out school broom while the others just barely moved around with the exception of Elizabeth. She came close, but not enough to catch him.

"Hey, Potter," It was the Ravenclaw team captain, Roger Davies. "How long have you been flying?"

"This was my first time," Harry replied honestly.

"Really?" Davies said. "You need a bit of practice but you've got talent, what do you say wanna join the team?"

"Oh I don't know…" he hesitated.

"Come on!" Davies said. "It'll be fun! With your talent might just win the Quidditch cup this year."

Harry finally relented, nodding.

"Great!" Davies said slapping his back. "Now let's see what kind of position would suit you…"

Hermione and the girls watched as the team captain took Harry to meet the rest of the team.

"Figures they'd get him to join the team." Elizabeth said.

But neither Hermione or Luna was listening, because they had noticed the third year girl Cho Chang grab Harry's shoulder, edging closer to him. She was hanging all over him, smiling sultrily. And Harry wasn't doing a thing about it!

"Guys?" Elizabeth asked, confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Hermione said, glaring at the older Ravenclaw.

Luna was confused too. She had always been a reserved girl, never getting into arguments or fight because it just wasn't in her nature. So why did she have this sudden urge to commit violence? More specifically why did she feel the need to commit violence against the pretty Asian girl hanging all over Harry? Even though Cho and her posse that always travelled with her, had given Luna nasty looks from time to time, it never used to bother her before.

Unlike Luna, Hermione knew exactly why she wanted to curse the older girl. And she was getting closer and closer to losing her patience. Fortunately for Cho, Harry finally detached himself from the Seeker and started rose above the ground on his broom with the Quaffle in his hands.

Hermione grabbed Luna's hand, pulling her towards the stands. "Come on Luna, we're going to watch them practice."

Luna didn't complain.

* * *

"Where were you?" Hermione asked when Harry came bounding down the stairs, his hair still wet.

"What do you mean?" he said drying up his hair with his wand.

"I mean you disappeared two hours ago just when Charms ended." She asked suspicion lacing her voice. "You've been doing that for about a week now. Where exactly are you going Harry?"

"Oh that," he smirked at her. "That my dear Ms. Granger, is a surprise."

* * *

Harry was finally chosen as a Chaser, even though he had more than enough talent to become a Seeker. So he a mail ordered a Velocity 7 which cost about three times much the Nimbus 2001 after researching the subject a bit. He had then made an anonymous donation to the school with Nimbus 2001 to replace the old ones. Not intending to leave out of his team, he had brought all the members the same brooms as his own but asked them to keep the fact a secret, until the game. No one had argued.

He was practicing when the Slytherin team suddenly walked onto the field, clearly prepared to train. All of them zipped down immediately.

"Flint!" Davies bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Sinistra. 'I, Professor S. Aurora, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker.'"

"New Seeker?" Davies asked.

All of the Ravenclaws had noticed the new Nimbus 2001's so, nobody was surprised when Malfoy came forward with a sneer on his face. Which quickly vanished when he saw Harry's broom.

"Nice huh?" Flint continued eyeing his broom. "A gift from Mr. Malfoy. The newest model. I believe this outstrips the old 2000 models by a quite an amount."

"Oh I see." Davies said, clutching his Velocity 7 trying not to laugh.

"Look," Flint said seeing Hermione and Luna walking towards them. "A field invasion."

"Hey Harry," Hermione said. "Why aren't you guys practicing?"

"Malfoy's father bribed the school because his son has no talent and the now the Slytherin team's here bragging about their new brooms." Harry said and his teammates burst into laughter at his bluntness.

"Oh," Hermione said. "Business as usual then."

"Pretty much," Harry said. "Also they seem to have not seen the Velocity 7's all of us are holding."

The Slytherin team gaped at the shining new brooms. Davies chuckled at their expressions.

"So are we going to continue our training Roger?" one of Harry's fellow chaser's asked.

"No," he replied. "We can reschedule. So Flint knock yourself out."

* * *

Harry was really regretting his decision to submit his wand at the start of the match. The Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw had started out normal enough. He having created a good rhythm with the other chasers and had been scoring left and right. When the score had been 60-20 for Ravenclaw, Cho had started to chase the snitch. It was also then the rogue Bludgers had started to come after him. Currently he was diving into the ground trying to get rid of them.

That was when he remembered that he had given his wand to Hermione, who was watching from the stands. With this new goal in his mind he rose up, the Bludgers hot on his trail. He zipped between two Slytherin chasers and headed straight towards the blues on the stands. Hermione seemingly having picked up on his idea was holding his wand up with a hovering charm about two meters away from her. Harry sped up with his arm outstretched. Just as he was about to grab his trusty wand one of the Bludgers came out of nowhere smashing his arm in. He howled in pain and was thrown off balance but managed to stay in the air, but just barely. With effort he started moving in zigzag and closed in on his target again. He was now holding onto the broom with only his legs as he extended his unbroken arm. He dodged when a Bludger tried the same move again and grabbed his wand.

He heard Hermione shouting at him, but he paid it no heed. He already knew how to disable the Bludgers so he sped up towards a sort of deserted section of the field the objects flying after him. He aimed the wand behind him. He couldn't do a _Protego_ as the shield would move with , and he couldn't stop to cast it because the Bludger would just bounce back and come after him again. He doubted _Impedimenta_ had the power to stop the motion and all he had left was destruction magic. And he had just the thing.

" _Increaro Firim!"_ he shouted and dark red flames came rushing out of the tip of his wand, and since he was already tired from flying he felt the magic loss immediately. The flames bounded on top of each other until it took on the shape of a sphere twice as tall as him. Immense heat emanated from it, and Harry felt like he was being burned alive. But he couldn't run away not yet. Because of how fast the Bludger was moving it would just fly through the flames. So seconds after firing the flame curse he casted an inverted Protego- a skill he had learned after much practice- catching both of the Bludgers in one move. He kept up the shield for about five seconds before dropping it and heading as fast as he could towards the ground, away from the now dissipating ball of flame. He lost consciousness the moment he hit the grass, his pain and exhaustion overloading his senses.

* * *

When he came around he was still lying on the field, rain falling on his face and someone leaning over him. He saw a glitter of teeth.

"Oh, no, not you," he moaned.

"Doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Ravenclaws pressing around them. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."

"Did you see that flame curse?" one of the students was saying. "I never seen anything like that!"

"He _is_ Harry Potter," another one replied. "He should be capable of at least this much."

"I mean if he can do something like that without even breaking a sweat I wonder what else he can do…"

The rest of the professors had noticed this too (except Lockhart, obviously). McGonagall had always pondered how powerful the boy truly was after seeing him decimate a Death Eater easily when he was just eleven years old. And the boy had never let the power got his head. Sure he talked back to the headmaster and people he didn't respect but there was never arrogance behind his words. It was always quiet confidence, like he knew something the others didn't. He looked like he always held all the cards. With high intelligence, power and confidence Lord Harry James Potter was a force to reckoned with. McGonagall shuddered to think what the boy would be like when he grew up.

Meanwhile Harry's self-preservation finally won out of the pain and Harry sat up moving away from the Lockhart. The Professor had already pulled out his wand and was taking aim at Harry's arm. Only three people in the crowd knew what was going to happen as they all had witnessed firsthand how Harry responds to wands that he doesn't want being pointed at him.

In a flash Harry had his own wand under Lockhart's chin, pressing into his skin. The tip glowed bright as power pulsed across object.

"Point that wand somewhere else, _Professor_ ," he said coldly. "I have no intention of being treated by an imposter like you and lose my arm because you wanted to show off in front of this crowd."

Gasps were heard throughout the crowd (probably fans of Lockhart). Almost all of Ravenclaw laughed.

Hermione, Luna and Elizabeth knelt down beside him, examining him. "Harry are you okay? Does it hurt?"

"Yes," Harry said. "I think it's broken, oh here comes Madam Pomfrey."

In minutes Harry was inside the hospital wing, resting on a bed. The Quidditch team had tried to stay but Madam Pomfrey had chased them out. She had tried to do the same for the three girls but was unsuccessful. "Hey did we win?"

"Yeah," Hermione said frowning at him. "I told you to be careful Harry, and now your arms broken. It's good that magic can fix this up easily. But can you imagine if we had to heal this the normal way? But you never listen to me do you? You always go and do these kinds of dangerous  
things-"

Harry grabbed her hand cutting off her speech. "There was special circumstances here, because I'm pretty sure that Bludger was tampered with."

She looked like she wanted to continued but Luna placer her own hand over hers, and shook her head. "But who'd want to hurt Harry? It can't be the person who wrote on that wall."

Hermione blushed at the contact, nodding. "I have no idea, Luna."

He was about to say something when Madam Pomfrey came bustling out of her office, chasing the girls out.

* * *

"So there _is_ a Chamber of Secrets?" Harry asked. "And-did you say it's been opened before? _Tell_ me, Dobby!"

The elf then went into another speech of how dangerous Hogwarts was for him but Harry tuned him out. Sure he was angry that Dobby had tried to hurt him with the Bludgers but he had one less mystery to solve now.

Dobby suddenly froze his bat ears twitching. Harry heard it too.

The next moment Dumbledore came into the hospital wing followed by Professor McGonagall. They were carrying something.

Dobby disappeared and Harry sneaked a peak at the latest victim. _Is that Colin Creevy?_

* * *

"Dueling club?" a voice said and Hermione jumped. "Should be interesting."

She spun on the spot. Harry smiled at her. "Hey."

"Harry!" she exclaimed before jumping at him. "You're out!"

He smiled into her hair. "Yeah. Madam Pomfrey just released me."

Hermione pulled away a wide smile on her face. She grabbed his hand and entered the main hall. "Luna's on her way. Come on, it should be starting right about now."

They found a secluded corner, Hermione filling him on the lessons he missed. Luna joined them a minute later, Elizabeth with her. That was when Harry noticed it.

After Luna hugged him took her place next to Hermione, standing really close to her. Hermione went red at the closeness, brushing her hair behind her ear. A bit confused Harry leaned closer.

"Hermione?" he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Do you like Luna?" he asked, not being able to come up with any other explanation.

She stiffened, her face taking on a darker shade. Harry's jaw dropped.

"You do!" he was surprised but pleasantly so.

"N-No I don't!" she sputtered earning a confused look from Luna and Elizabeth.

"Hey, it's fine." He said. He was suddenly very nervous about what he was about say. "Because, I kind a like her too."

Her head snapped towards him at that. "You do?"

He nodded, scratching his head. "Yeah. It's just like what I feel for you."

Her eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

Harry took a deep breath, calming his nerves. He flashed her his signature smile.

"I think you know."

Her face slowly broke into a grin of her own. She turned away to look at the stage, where someone was starting to speak.

"Of course it's him." Harry said with a resigned sigh when he saw who it was.

"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!" Lockhart was saying. "Now, Professor Dumbledore wanted to start a dueling club. As I am the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I offered to teach you all to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works.

"And your potions professor Mr. Allen Watts has kindly agreed to help me with a short demonstration."

The black haired middle-aged professor bowed at the audience before turning to Lockhart.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"One — two — three —"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Professor Watts cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Watts, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy — however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Harry rolled his eyes. "All right, I've had enough of this."

He pushed through the crowd, and jumped on top of the platform.

"I'm sorry for disturbing Professor Watts." He said. "But I have something to say."

"It's alright Potter." Watts replied.

"Potter? What're you doing?" Lockhart asked confused.

"The headmaster started this dueling club yes?" he asked, but continued before Lockhart could respond. "After seeing that pathetic attempt at dueling I don't think I'm alone in thinking that you're not fit enough to teach us."

Lockhart nervously looked around the platform, seeing a lot of students glaring at him he turned to Harry. "What do you propose then Lord Potter?"

"It's simple." Harry said. "You and I are going to duel. If you can't even beat a second year, then you will give this post to someone else."

Harry hid his smirk when Lockhart face twisted in indignation. _So easy._

"Professor Watts, if you please." Harry said not turning around.

The air around the platform glowed blue once before disappearing as the professor casted a standard set of dueling shields. Harry walked to Lockhart, his wand at his side.

He smirked. "You better not hold back Professor, because I won't be."

"You're still just a student Lord Potter," The professor said, his fake smile plastered on his face. "Of course I'll be holding back."

"Cut the shit, Lockhart." Harry whispered so that only Lockhart could hear him. "I know all those books of yours are filled with total crap. And I'm going to show all these people how much of fraud you really are."

Lockhart lost his smile. Harry walked to the other end of the platform, taking on the dueling stance.

"One-two-three-" Lockhart counted and then casted. _"Expelliarmus!"_

Harry casually raised his wand. " _Protego."_

The red curse harmless bounced off and Harry aimed at Lockhart's feet. " _Reducto."_

The professor jumped aside, surprised at the force of the curse.

"I did tell you not to hold back." Harry said.

Lockhart silently snarled before starting to cast one curse after another.

Harry let one or two hit his shield before starting to move. He dodged the others and raised his wand high when Lockhart shouted a curse he hadn't heard before.

" _Serpensortia!"_

Harry jumped back as a long black snake shot out of the end of Lockhart's wand, falling heavily onto the floor between them. It raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away from the platform.

Harry stared at the snake for a second before bursting out laughing.

"What's so funny, Lord Potter?" Lockhart asked, barely restraining himself from casting at Harry while he was distracted. After all it wouldn't do his image much good.

"This." Harry said jabbed his thumb at the snake. He knelt down and offered his hand.

§Come on up§ he said in Parseltongue. The snake obeyed without hesitation climbing onto him and wrapped itself around his shoulder. Harry stood up, scratching under the snake's jaw.

"It's time we finished this," he turned to Lockhart, missing all the horrified looks from the rest of the school. "Don't you think so professor?"

" _Silusio!_ " Harry said aiming at the professor's head. A chain shot out at the end of his wand, and before it hit the shield the professor had casted, Harry finished the spell. " _Impetium!"_

The chain split into six parts and shot around the shield hitting the professor in the stomach, knocking the breath out of his lungs. His shield dropped and Harry disarmed him.

He sighed. "Now that that's over, please ask the headmaster if Professor Flitwick can take over instead? Thank you."

" _Evanesco_." He muttered vanishing the snake. He jumped off of the platform, near where Hermione and the others stood. That was when he noticed the looks.

Almost all of the school was staring at him horror. Confused he turned to Hermione. "What?"

She gave him a look. "I think we should go."

"Why?"

Instead of answering she just dragged him out of there, other two following them. It was then that he realized what the problem was. They headed to the courtyard, Harry smacking himself across his forehead.

"Oh bloody hell…" he muttered.

"You got it then?" Hermione said. "This is bad."

"What's bad?" Elizabeth asked, puzzled.

Luna started to explain and Hermione to turned to him.

"What're you going to do about this?" she asked, worried. "Now all of them thinks you're the heir of Slytherin. Dumbledore might want to talk to you."

"I can handle him." He said. "But the school thinking I'm the heir of Slytherin is a real problem. Because this the best possible circumstances for the real criminal-"

"-to cover his tracks and get away." Hermione said. "I know. You can't even swear an oath on your magic, because well-"

"-I wouldn't be telling the truth. Not really anyway." He finished. "Bloody hell…"

* * *

The next day they went down to breakfast a bit early, not wanting to suffer the stares as long as he could. Halfway into his meal Neville came and sat down beside him.

They exchanged greetings.

"Yesterday's duel was something else." Neville said. "I didn't know you could speak parseltongue."

Harry shrugged.

"You should know, some Gryffindors are already saying you're the Slytherin's heir." He said carefully.

"How about you?" Harry asked. "What do you think?"

Neville smiled. "I don't know about the heir part, but I know you'll never hurt an innocent person."

"Thanks mate," Harry said grateful. "That means a lot."

"No problem." He said. "There's something else, it's about St. Mungo's."

"Oh yeah, how's that going?" Harry asked, earning confused looks from his companions.

A wide smile graced the Gryffindor's face. "Really well, the Healers are saying they are already showing signs of improvement. Those scans that the muggles took really helped."

"That's great!"

"Yeah." Neville said. "It is."

"You better get back to the Gryffindor table." Harry said seeing the hall start to fill in. "You definitely don't want to be seen with the supposed heir of Slytherin. At least until we find the real culprit."

* * *

The sudden animosity from the school shouldn't' have surprised him, but it did. He'd been through enough at his old school to know that luck never stood on his side, not for long anyway. But he had been trying, he really had. He had gone out of his way to socialize with his classmates, his age and well above. And they had gotten along with him famously. But now when he smiled at them, they just looked away and hurried on. He would never admit to himself, but he had gotten used to it. Having friends. It had been a strange yet pleasant feeling to him. Of course he still had the girls and Neville was like one of his best mates, but it still hurt a bit when his new found friends shunned him like everyone back at his old school.

He sighed, hitting his forehead on the opened book laying on the desk inside the library. He took a glance at Hermione, who was browsing through the shelves. As if sensing his look, she stopped and offered him a heart stopping smile. His breath caught, and he returned the gesture.

His smile faded though as a set of voices reached him from behind. It was coming from shelf adjoining him.

"…that first year, Creevey, was annoying Potter at the Quidditch match, taking pictures of him while he was lying in the mud." Someone was saying. "Next thing we know Creevey's been attacked."

"He was so nice us, though," said Hannah uncertainly, "He always came and talked with us, even if we were in different houses. And he saved Susan and took care of Snape, and well - he's the reason You-Know-Who gone. Why would he do such a thing then?"

"Do you remember how he caught Snape?" Ernie said. "He cut off his arm and beat him with it. If nothing else, Potter is definitely capable of a thing like this."

They chatted for a while before starting to leave. Harry hid himself between a shelf and waited until Hannah passed it.

"Do you really think I would've done something like this Hannah?" he asked quietly his arms crossed, looking directly at her.

She jumped at his voice. "L-Lord Potter! You scared me!"

"Lord Potter now is it?" he asked. "What happened to just 'Harry'? I guess it was inevitable after all. Still I thought my friends would at least believe me."

She turned away, unable to look at him.

"Its fine." He said. "I'll give Ernie this, he does raise some good points. And while I can't tell if I really am the heir of Slytherin, I can tell you that I would never attack an innocent person. Definitely not because of a blood status. "You know… My best friend? Not to mention my mother are both Muggleborn, something everyone seem to have forgotten, I wonder why that is."

Hannah finally looked at him, as if suddenly realizing this. "O-Of course! You'd never do such a thing! I can't believe I forgot about that."

"Maybe you should inform the rest of your house, Hannah." Hermione said joining the conversation.

"I think I will." Hannah replied. "I'm really sorry I didn't believe you Harry."

Harry nodded, not really expecting that result. He stared questioningly at Hermione.

"I know better than anybody what it's like have everybody turn on you." She said, packing up her books. "You never said anything but I knew you were hurting. I could see it in your face."

"So could I." said someone from behind him.

The musical tone of the voice brought an involuntary grin to his face.

"But I didn't really know why until Hermione explained it to me." Luna said, leaning against a bookshelf, her head resting sideways. He'd known her for a month but her beauty still surprised him. "Also this Library is great place for sneaking around. It's really easy to get lost."

"No kidding," came Elizabeth's voice, her figure appearing around the other corner. "Hey guys. And oh Hermione, look what I found!"

She held up a large tome titled, 'The Most Powerful Magical Creatures in History'.

When Hermione's eyes widened in joy Harry knew she would be lost to all of them for a good while, making a mental note to check the book out as well. He turned back to Luna, stepping closer.

She looked down, almost in embarrassment.

Harry grabbed her hand, gently caressing it. "So how have you been fitting in so far?"

"It's been great Harry," she said excitedly.

"Liza's with me so I'm never alone," she frowned. "Though Cho Chang and her friends don't like me very much."

"Did they do something to you?" he asked, concerned.

She seemed to be thinking. "Well, sometimes they call me Loony Lovegood and some of my things have gone missing. And sometimes when I find them again, they're sort of unusable."

Luna bent down and took off her left shoe, showing it to him.

Harry's eyes widened when he saw that it was actually a right shoe. She was wearing two right shoes.

Rage rose inside him, and it took all of his self-control to calm himself down. He had figured it out through experience, that nothing phased the blonde before him. She was always carefree, and didn't have a mean bone in her whole body. This combination made her an easy target for bullying. The worst part of it was that she didn't care that she was being bullied, which meant that she never retaliated and that compelled her tormentors go to even more depths to get a rise out of her. While her personality made her incredibly appealing and an instant friend to him, he knew most of the students would never see it that way.

"Luna," he said. "What they are doing is wrong. And you shouldn't just stand by and let it happen. But I know you're not going to do anything about it, at least not by yourself anyway."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. She melted in his hands, blushing red.

"Come on, we're going to take care of this." He said and exited the library, the blonde in his arms.

People stared at them as they walked to the Ravenclaw tower, breaking into whispers. Harry wasn't too concerned with it though since there was no way the situation could get worse than it already was.

They turned a corner and almost collided with Hagrid. "Oh Hello Hagrid."

A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.

"All righ', Harry? Why aren't yeh two in class?" he asked.

"Canceled," said Harry. "What're you doing in here?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster.

"Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm around the hen coop."

Harry frowned, then shrugged. He and Luna said goodbye to the gentle giant and climbed the stairs, turning into a corridor. He squinted his eyes at the darkness, and was about to cast a Lumos when he almost tripped over something.

"What…" Luna muttered. She left Harry's arms and casted a Lumos, and felt her eyes widen at the sight.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, unmoving, his eyes staring up and his face frozen in shock. Luna jumped back when she saw that the Hufflepuff wasn't alone. Nearly Headless Nick, all black and smoky was floating immobile, six inches off the floor. Luna's thoughts running wild, wondering what could've done that to a ghost.

As they stood there staring unblinkingly at the horrific sight Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out of a nearby wall. Seeing the incident he started screaming, ""ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Harry sighed regretting not learning about exorcisms that he could perform with a spell as door after door crashed open, people flooding into the corridor.

"This is bad." He whispered to Luna who nodded. It was chaos for a moment before McGonagall fired off a Canon Blast charm and restored order.

" _Caught in the act!"_ shouted Ernie Macmillian pointing at Harry.

"Are you accusing me of attacking Justin, Ernie?" Harry asked, falling back to his normal mask when dealing with sensitive situations. _You had to love Occlumency_. While he was disturbed by the attack on one of his classmates, he knew it wouldn't do to panic at the moment. "If so you better be ready to back that up with some evidence."

Ernie fumed. Meanwhile McGonagall made arraignments for Justin and gave Ernie a giant fan, telling him to move Nearly-Headless Nick up the stairs.

"This way Lord Potter." McGonagall said.

Harry nodded at the professor before turning to Luna, who looked a bit scared.

"Can you get a message to Hermione?" Luna nodded immediately. "Tell her what happened and to contact Thomas Kirkland and Sirius."

* * *

Hermione let out a surprised squeal when Luna crashed into her, making her drop all the books she was carrying.

"Luna!" she admonished. "What are you doing?"

The blonde grabbed her shoulders and stepped closer to her. Hermione blushed, her eyes widening slightly.

"There's been another attack!" she said, panting. "Professor McGonagall took Harry because she thinks that he did it!"

Hermione was suddenly super focused, her reaction to the other girl gone and forgotten.

"He told me to tell you to contact Thomas Kirkland and Sirius."

Hermione nodded, a determined look on her face. "Kippy!"

There was a small pop. "Yes, Ms. Granger?"

"Harry needs you to get a message to his attorney and his godfather…"

* * *

Harry and Dumbledore observed each other from across the desk. After McGonagall had left him here, Dumbledore had told him to sit down and Harry had said that he wasn't going to say anything his godfather and attorney gets here. Dumbledore had then nodded, obviously having learnt his lesson from before.

In took about five minutes for the floo to flash and after Dumbledore opened the connection his attorney Thomas Kirkland and his godfather Sirius stepped through.

"Harry," Sirius greeted and then conjuring two seats, sat down on one, Tom taking the other.

"Now that we're all here, let's get started." Harry said. "To answer your unasked question headmaster, no I didn't attack Colin Creevy or Justin or Filches cat for that matter."

Dumbledore stared at him through the half-moon spectacles, and said in a somber tone, though he was dancing happily inside. "You were found in two of the scenes of the crimes Harry, quite a coincidence doesn't you think?"

Here he finally had a chance to bring the brat down a peg or two. Truthfully Albus couldn't believe how things have gotten so incredibly out of hands in such a short span of time. Within less than a year of arriving at Hogwarts, the boy had cost him his spy and potion master, gotten the nuisance Black out of Azkaban and destroyed years of his hard work inside the Wizengamot and the country by casting a light at things he'd rather stayed in the shadows. There was something else as well.

Albus Dumbledore firmly believed he was a light wizard, at least he that's what he told himself. And Harry Potter's actions in the past year had set of several alarm bells in Albus head, the death of the Dursleys for instance. Albus knew that Harry must've had something do with it, the way they treated him ensured that. He decided to address that after this.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Albus asked, slipping into his kindly grandfatherly persona.

"Yes," Harry said. "I want to know why you haven't informed the DMLE yet. There's been three attacks already, so why aren't the Aurors here yet?"

Before Albus could say anything, Harry stood up heading to the floo. He tossed some powder into the fire.

"DMLE please." He said and pushed his head in. After a few moments the fire flashed and Amelia Bones came over, a couple of Aurors behind her.

She immediately turned to him. "What seems to be the problem now Lord Potter?"

"Madam Bones," he started. "There has been a string of attacks inside Hogwarts these last month, two Muggleborn students are now in the infirmary, petrified."

"What?!" Amelia's eyes snapped to Dumbledore. "Why am I only hearing about this now?"

"It was being handled internally," Albus said, brushing away her concerns. "There was no need to waste the DMLE's precious time."

Amelia was about to rip him a new one when Harry beat her to it.

"Are you kidding me?" he snapped. "Two children have been attacked! This school isn't your private property that you can do as you like. Your authority as headmaster goes out of the window when the health of the students are taken into to consideration."

"I wholeheartedly agree with Lord Potter," Amelia said. "You should've informed the me the moment the first attack occurred, Kingsley go and check the conditions of the victims."

"You have some explaining to do Albus, I suggest you get to it." Amelia said after the Auror had left.

"Before that, perhaps I should explain why Lord Potter is here right now?" Albus said. "It's because he's currently the prime suspect of this case."

Amelia's eyebrow rose. "Lord Potter?"

"I was found at two of the scenes, though completely by coincidence," Harry said. "And now the whole school thinks I'm the heir of Slytherin, out to cleanse the school of all not pure of blood. All the while blatantly looking over the fact that my best friend and my mother are both Muggleborn."

She sighed. _This was going to be a long day._

* * *

A/N – I know Lockhart using _Serpensortia_ was a bit contrived but it was necessary. I could've always used Malfoy like in cannon, but that meant letting Lockhart lead the Dueling Club and that wasn't going to happen.


	14. The Chamber of Secrets

-Chapter 14-

 _The Chamber of Secrets_

"Now that, that's out of the way, I need to speak to you about your family." Dumbledore said finally glad to be rid of the head of the DMLE. She had dismissed Harry as a suspect after hearing that he had alibis for every single incident. After confirming them Bones had then informed him that she'd be back with an investigation and protection team in few hours. Albus shuddered at the thought of dealing with her until the holidays, which thankfully wasn't that far away.

"What about Sirius?" Harry asked, looking to his Godfather.

"I wasn't talking about Sirius," Albus said. "It's about your family, the Dursleys -"

"Hold on there, Mr. Dumbledore," his attorney Tom interrupted. "I believe Lord Potter made his statement to the DMLE, that he left the house before the accident happened, in fact met with the Grangers and then me before retiring to the Potter Manor."

Harry nodded, having already agreed to disclosing that piece of information.

"You're at the Potter Manor?" Albus asked surprised. He had of course suspected it but to hear it confirmed was something else _. This was bad._ There was loads of magic in that library that Albus didn't want anywhere near the Boy-Who-Lived. Since the brat had gone and gotten himself emancipated there was no way Albus could force him to live anywhere else. But he could still do something about his Muggle guardians, which currently no one held.

"I am." Harry replied. "Sirius is currently living with me there. I did tell you last year that I wouldn't be going back to Dursleys didn't I?"

"Yes - yes you did." Albus said, a plan already forming in his about the boy's Muggle guardians.

"If that's all then I'll be taking my leave." Harry said standing up. "Thanks for coming guys."

"It was no trouble." Sirius said, glaring at Albus. He hadn't forgotten that the headmaster had failed to grant him a trial for a decade, and he wasn't going to forget it anytime soon either.

The headmaster let out a heavy sigh when they finally left. He quickly recovered, after all he had lot of work to do.

* * *

Harry had no choice but to postpone his decision to 'talk' ("-threaten." Elizabeth had added) with the Ravenclaws who had been tormenting Luna, because the last thing he wanted was to give the students another reason to hate him. And he needed their trust for what he had planned at the end of this year.

Harry invited both the Grangers, Elizabeth's parents and the Lovegoods to spend Christmas holiday with him at Potter Manor. He was currently walking around the main lounge room reading a spell book waiting for Kippy to Apparate them here. Sirius sat near him, looking over some documents that he had received over the mail a few hours ago.

"What're those?" Harry asked, closing the book.

"It's a list of all the people in my family, dead, alive and imprisoned." He said.

"Didn't you already banish all the Death Eaters?"

"I did," Sirius nodded. "But that's not why I asked for this. I wanted to know what happened to Andromeda – my cousin. It looks like she was banished by my father, she has a daughter who graduated from Hogwarts just last year."

"Oh?"

"Nymphadora Tonks." At Harry's look, "I know, my family isn't known for having great names. Anyway, I'm placing them back in the fold."

At that moment Kippy apparated in. "Master Harry, Lady Potter and your other guests is here."

* * *

Harry could honestly say, the Christmas Holiday was the most fun he had in his entire life.

After some close calls he had a talk with Hermione and Elizabeth and revealed to Luna about Elizabeth's true heritage. She had been surprised and had reassured them that she'd keep it a secret.

Christmas eve was great and Harry was surprised to learn that he had something from Dumbledore. After casting some extensive detection spells curtesy of the three magical adults, he opened it.

"Is this -" Harry said examining the silvery cloth. "-an invisibility cloak? There's a note as well - _Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. Use it well. A Very Merry Christmas to you_. _Albus Dumbledore._ "

Sirius was outraged. "That was James's cloak. It's been passed down from Head of house to Heir for generations! How did Dumbledore gets his hands on it?"

"Really?" Harry said eyeing the cloak with wonder. "Hey Elizabeth, take a look at this!"

"What?" she asked looking up from her presents. "Wow! Is that real?"

"It was our Dad's," he said. "Hey Sirius can you cast those detection charms on this again?"

When he was finished, Harry was incensed but unsurprised to find out at that Dumbledore had casted at least five spying charms on it that made it virtually useless in the presence of the headmaster. After removing all of them Harry put it around him.

He had of course, seen invisibility cloaks before. He personally preferred Disillusion charms as the cloaks seemed more of a hassle to use. So he was more than surprised when the cloak wrapped snugly around him, automatically adjusting to his height.

"That's the real thing alright." Remus commented. "It always did that whenever James used it, I wonder why."

Harry took it off and it returned to normal. Xeno looked at it thoughtfully. His thoughts were interrupted when Hermione jumped at Harry, wrapping her arms around him tightly. She pulled back a bright smile on her face. "Oh Harry! Thank you so much!"

"I see you found the Omnibook." He said unable to keep the smile off his face. "You can access most of the books in the Potter Library, but not all, I hope that's alright?"

"That's more than enough Harry." She said happily before running off to show it to her parents.

* * *

In no time at all, there were on their way back to Hogwarts. They were sharing a cabin with Neville who seemed to be particularly taken with Elizabeth, much to the amusement of the others.

It took a while for Harry notice that the welcome feast was emptier than usual. When he voiced his observations Neville passed him a copy of the Daily Prophet.

 _Students Attacked Inside Hogwarts!_ Cried the headline, a picture of the school adorning the front page. The article went to describe the attacks in alarmingly accurate detail. Harry was relieved to find out that he wasn't mentioned anywhere at all.

"It's the Muggleborn students." Hermione said, finally noticing what the difference was. "Apart from the ones sitting down to OWLs and NEWTS, they're not here, that's why it looks so empty."

"Well, I can't believe something good finally came out this useless piece of tabloid that they call a newspaper," Harry said. "At least no one would be attacked now."

But it wasn't good at all, as he found out a few days later, when the Minister of Magic arrested Hagrid and then suspended Dumbledore. It was then that he put it all together. After a bit of research with Hermione and Luna he found out what happened when the Chamber was opened first time around.

"So when the Chamber of Secrets was opened the first time a student died, and for some reason Hagrid was expelled," he said to the other two taking seats around the common room. He had learned some privacy spells from Remus over the holidays, some his mother herself had invented. He casted them as he continued his explanation.

"Hogwarts was closed for weeks after that." He said. "I wonder who was it that died."

"The newspapers didn't say?" Luna asked.

Harry shook his head. Hermione's eyes widened as if remembering something. "Moaning Myrtle!"

"Oh! That makes sense!" Luna exclaimed.

"Right?!" Hermione said.

"Who's Moaning Myrtle?" Harry asked, suddenly afraid to find out. Then with a sly smirk, "I didn't know you were that kind of girl Hermione…"

"Oh get your mind out of the gutter, Mister!" Hermione scolded, swatting at his arm and making him laugh. "She's a ghost that haunts a girl's bathroom on the first floor. I never even thought…"

She trailed off. "Didn't we find Filch's cat on first floor? And you said Colin Creevy was found with his camera stuck to his face? And I've seen spiders -hundreds of them- mind you (she shuddered) crawling out of the castle…"

"Hermione I can see wheels in your head turning," Harry said, smiling. "You have a theory."

"Maybe…" she muttered. "There's also those dead roosters Hagrid kept mentioning, and that voice that you heard…"

Hermione jumped from her seat with an expression Harry would eventually come to call her 'must dash to the library' face. He had learnt it early on that it was best just to go with it when she got like this.

"I've got to go to the-"

"Library?" Luna finished with a smile. "We know. See you later?"

She blushed at being read so accurately, then muttering a quick goodbye she disappeared out of the portrait hole.

"Be careful!" Harry called after her.

* * *

It had been about thirty minutes since Hermione left to the library and the common room was mostly empty.

Harry had his head against the backrest of the huge sofa in the room, his eyes glued to the adorable blond in front of him, who was doing the same thing. Her hair pressed against her cheek, the light from the fireplace highlighting the features of her face. He couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked right now.

Luna bit her lip, smiling at him.

"What?" he asked, returning the gesture.

"It's nothing." She said, then fidgeting a bit. "Just…how long have you been love with Hermione?"

His eyes widened but he didn't react more than that. "How did you know?"

"Oh please, it's obvious." she said, and he could've sworn that he saw a flash of hurt in her eyes. She grabbed her left wrist with other hand, squeezing it, turning her gaze elsewhere. "Anybody could tell with the way you two keep looking at each other."

"Really?" he asked and she nodded in reply.

He moved closer to her. "So, what else have you noticed?"

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Harry placed his hand above hers. She looked down at it, reddening slightly. "I mean, have you noticed the way she keeps looking at _you_?"

Luna was taken aback. "M-Me?"

Harry nodded, a smile on his face. "What about me? Have you noticed the way I keep doing the same thing?"

She straightened on her seat, taking her head off the back rest, her eyes widening to epic proportions. Hoping he wasn't being too forward Harry leaned forward, cupping her face, her soft skin tingling under his hands. "Maybe you should've looked closer."

He closed the distance and pressed his lips against hers, electricity running through both their bodies at the contact. Their magic reacted at the intense emotions flexing inside them, fueling the sensation. Luna moaned, gravitating towards him and climbing onto his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. His hands found her waist, gently messaging them. He smiled into the kiss.

"Ah… Lord Potter, Ms. Lovegood, you're still up." said the unmistakable voice of Professor Flitwick, breaking them apart. Both blushed immensely at being caught by the head of house and slowly separated, sitting down next to each other. Though Harry kept a firm hand around Luna's waist.

"Professor Flitwick," Harry said, trying but failing miserably at keeping the happy smile away from his face. "What can we do for you?"

He mood was somber and more serious than they had ever seen on the professor. "I think you'd better come with me. Lord Potter, you too Ms. Lovegood."

Harry stood up, bringing Luna with him. "Is there a problem professor?"

Instead of answering Flitwick just nodded at the portrait hole. Harry and Luna followed the diminutive professor out of the Ravenclaw tower. Harry frowned recognizing the route. It was the path to the hospital wing. Harry quickly overtook his head of house, whirling around to face him.

"Why are we heading to the hospital wing?" he asked. "Sir?"

When he didn't answer, Harry's eyes widened. "No – not her… not Hermione!"

Letting out a shuddering breath he started running, Luna hot on his heels. He arrived at the infirmary in record time. He blasted the door open silently with his wand, not even realizing it, startling Professor McGonagall who was standing inside. She stepped in front of him.

"Move, professor," he said, his voice harsh.

"Lord Potter there has been three attacks." She said, ignoring his tone. "Ms. Clearwater, Ms. Clarke and Ms. Granger, all three of them were petrified on their way from the library."

Luna gasped beside him, clinging to his arm. Panic threatened to overwhelm him until he realized that they were relatively alright. There was no need to panic, they were just petrified. He let out a sigh of relief.

"I want to see them." He said. "Have you contacted their parents yet?"

"Parents?" McGonagall said as if just now realizing this. "No the headmaster's ordered-"

"Well that pri-I mean the headmaster isn't here right now, is he?" he snapped. "Then I suggest you go and contact their parents. If Ms. Clearwater's parents need passage to the castle tell them to contact the Potter Manor and I'll take care of it. Kippy!"

There was a slight pop as the elf materialized. "Yes Master Harry."

"Tell Sirius to contact the Grangers and Ms. Clarke's parents." He said, barely catching himself from saying Elizabeth's real last name. He then walked passed the professor, straight to where his best friend and sister lay. They were utterly still, their eyes open and glassy. He knelt down beside her bed, his insides turning.

"Lord Potter can you explain this?" McGonagall asked after moment, holding up a small circular mirror. "We found three of them next to all of each of them."

Harry barely glanced at it. "I don't know."

She smiled sadly, seeing the expression his face. "I'll leave you alone."

Luna knelt next to him, placing her head on his shoulder. Harry stiffened for a moment before leaning against her. "We should've been there with her."

Luna didn't answer. Hermione had always been a bit of confusing subject to her. They were friends, she knew that much. She had a really good talk with Emma Granger when they were spending the Christmas holidays at Potter Manor. She didn't know what made her confide in the muggle woman but she was glad that she did. And she had finally learnt why she had been having these feelings for Harry these past months. And the problem was she was pretty sure she felt the same way about Hermione too. The girl was frighteningly smart, beautiful and surprisingly easy to get along as well.

But Luna had fallen for Harry, hard. And that made Hermione a rival for Harry's affections. But she couldn't deny the feelings deep in the pit of her stomach when she saw brown-haired girl smile at her. She had been bouncing the situation around her head, hoping to shake loose some sort of answer. And Harry had provided it to her a little while ago, before blowing her mind by kissing her. She couldn't help but smile at the memory.

And with that she crashed back to earth, tears filling her eyes at the sight of Hermione's petrified form.

"Yes, we should've been with her." Luna agreed, sniffling a bit. _This is all my fault! If I hadn't been with Harry, Hermione would've-_

"I don't blame you Luna, why would I?" He pulled away and placed a kiss to her forehead. "I don't regret what we did either."

Luna still heard his unspoken words. _If Hermione wasn't alive though, I wouldn't even look at you again._ She looked down, stepping away from him.

But he didn't let her leave. "There was no way to know what was going to happen, so even if Hermione was in critical condition I still wouldn't blame you. Because it would've been my fault as well."

Luna's mouth dropped open. "H-How did you…"

He offered her a small smile. "You're thinking the same way I used to, years ago. You blame yourself for what happened to your mother. Don't you?"

Luna wiped away some of her tears, remembering that awful day. Harry continued. "I used to think that all the bad things that kept happening to me or people around was completely my fault. It was only after that I developed a subliminal guardian that I figured out that wasn't the case. You didn't have anyone to tell you that, so here I am now, telling you. I asked you father about the exact circumstances of what happened to your mother, and I'm telling you Luna Celeste Lovegood, there was nothing you could've done. _It wasn't your fault_."

Luna was openly crying now. When Harry offered his arms she jumped on him, burying her head into his chest, finally letting out all she had bottled up inside for two long years. Harry didn't say a word, he just held her.

They didn't leave the infirmary until the next morning.

* * *

The next day, the Grangers, Wrights (under the guise of Clarke) and the Clearwater family came to Hogwarts. Though Harry had told Luna that Hermione getting petrified wasn't their fault, he knew that Elizabeth fate - was. The only reason that Elizabeth was even here was because he had pressured them to consider a magical education and now…

When the Wrights sat down around Elizabeth's bed after Madam Pomfrey had filled in the basic details, he made his way to them.

"Hey." he said and everyone turned to look at him.

"This is completely my fault." He said without beating around the bush. "It's because of me that you send Elizabeth here, and for that I am truly sorry. If you want to remove her from Hogwarts, I totally understand. I think it's better that way. So-"

"Harry stop," Scott Wright said, cutting him off. "We spoke to your godfather before we came here, and he assured us that nothing like that ever happens in Hogwarts."

Harry closed up his jaw. "He did?"

"Yeah, so don't worry about it," he said. "Now don't you have classes?"

"Right, classes," he said.

He nodded at them before shaking the half-asleep blonde awake and exiting the infirmary.

* * *

 _A week later, near midnight…_

Harry sat at the edge of Hermione's bed gently caressing her hand with Luna napping with her head on the mattress. Madam Bones had come with a large Auror squadron few days ago to search the whole castle from top to bottom without any success, and it was driving him crazy. The Slytherin house had become utterly unbearable as they now roamed the castle with smug expressions plastered across their faces. Fortunately for them, none had said anything about the injured, at least not to his face.

He wrapped his fingers around Hermione's hand and frowned when he heard a rustling sound. He leaned down to get a closer look.

A piece of paper was scrunched inside her fist. After some maneuvering he managed to get what looked like a torn page from really old book free of her petrified fingers.

His breathing became heavy as he finished reading the parchment. This was it, he finally had the answer.

He jumped from his seat and then placed a kiss on the petrified girl's forehead. "You Hermione Jean Granger are the most brilliant person I've ever met in my entire life!"

His shouting had woken up the sleeping girl and she was looking up at him bemused. Harry pulled the girl into his arms and kissed her.

"What's going on?" Luna said a bit dazedly. He just gave her the old piece of parchment.

"Oh my god Harry!"

"I know." He said smiling. "Even petrified she's smarter than both of us. Come on we need to tell the Aurors."

They ran into McGonagall before any of the Aurors, examining a wall. Harry froze when he saw the message on it.

 _Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever_

"It has happened," she was saying to Flitwick and Sprout. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the chamber itself."

"Who?" Flitwick asked, dread lining his voice.

"Ginny Weasley." she said and Luna gasped.

"Harry!" she cried, hanging onto him.

"I know," he said. "She's your friend wasn't she?"

She nodded. "We have to save her!"

"I have an idea where this Chamber might be," he said. "And since I don't think you're going to let me go off on my own-"

"You got that right." she said firmly.

Harry chuckled. "And we don't have time to explain everything to the Aurors,"

He called Kippy and gave him instructions to contact Sirius with all the details. With that done with Harry and Luna took off in the direction where the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom was.

A door to his side opened at that moment, and his least favorite professor walked out, clutching a bag. A student with red hair came running out after him, his wand pointed at the professor.

"Stop!" the boy shouted.

Startled Lockhart turned around.

"What do you think you're doing Weasley?" he asked, irritated.

"Ronald?" Luna asked.

The redhead looked at her and then Harry. "Potter! This is your fault! You took my sister!"

"I didn't." Harry snapped, irritated. "But I think I know where she is. Also what the hell are you doing?"

"My little sister's been taken and this imposter is running away!" Weasley replied.

Harry looked at the professor. "Oh is he?"

He brought out his wand and aimed it at Lockhart. "You're coming with us, Lockhart."

Grumbling Lockhart started to move. Harry glanced at Weasley. "Don't slow us down."

He bristled indignantly, but the expression on Harry's face held him from saying anything.

* * *

"The Chamber of Secrets is in a girl's bathroom?" Weasley asked mockingly. "You hang around with Loony too much."

"Her name is _Luna._ " Harry said, his voice low, making the boy flinch. "Do not insult my friend again."

Luna came back from talking to Myrtle. "She said the last thing she remembers is a pair of yellow eyes, right over there."

All of them turned to where she was pointing at.

"The sinks?" Harry said, walking towards it. "You remember how those stone guardians in Norway responded to Parseltongue?"

Luna nodded and with his wand ready Harry spoke, §Open§

The tap closest to him began to glow with a brilliant white light. Next moment, the sink began to moving, sinking right out of sight. A large pipe now sat exposed in place, large enough for a man to slide into. Harry knew it was unlikely that Salazar Slytherin using such an inelegant entrance.

§Stairs§ he hissed again and steps appeared out of the pipe, making up a rotating staircase. He aimed his wand at Lockhart. "Off you go professor."

"Come on Potter," he said, his voice feeble. "Please, what good will it do?"

Harry just smirked. "You'll be a pretty good human shield, now move."

* * *

The staircase ended at a dark stone tunnel large enough to stand in.

" _Lumos."_

Harry was in the process of examining the place when Lockhart tripped. Before any of them could do anything he jumped at Weasley snatching his Spellotapedwand from him. Without wasting any time, he casted something.

 _Shit._ Harry quickly shielded dragging a startled Luna to him.

The spell -whatever it was- bounced off his shield and connected with the roof. The blast shook the whole place, chunks of rock raining from the ceiling.

" _Protego Immolit!"_ he shouted, covering the small girl with his whole body. The shield dark blue in color quickly spread around them in a dome shape, solidifying a second later.

The thundering sounds stopped after some tense moments. He released the shield and stood up with the shaking girl.

"Are you alright?" he recasted the lighting charm, checking her for wounds all over.

"I'm fine Harry." She said with a slight red tinge on her cheeks. He sighed in relief.

"Weasley?"

That was when he noticed the huge wall between the them and where they had come from.

"I'm fine!" came from the other side. "This git's not though."

"I'll look for you sister," he replied. "Why don't you stay here and move some of these rocks so we can leave? Alright? Alright."

Without giving him a chance to refuse Harry and Luna continued on. He wasn't that worried, after all the Aurors would be on their way now.

They came to a stop at a large circular door, snake patterns everywhere.

He hissed it to open.

"You know; we should've grabbed a rooster before coming here." Harry said, stepping inside the very long, dimly lit chamber.

"Basilisks live for thousands of years Harry," Luna explained, muttering a quite _Nox_ to put out the light on her wand. "The crowning of a rooster is only fatal when it's really young. Something like that would only annoy a fully grown one."

"So we're basically screwed?"

"Pretty much."

Harry sighed. "Figures."

His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, details of the huge tunnel becoming more clear.

"Wow, Slytherin really let himself go with the décor didn't he?" he muttered, eyeing the snake statues and the large stone portrait of the founder carved at the end of the tunnel.

Luna though had noticed something else. A small figure at the end of the hall, sprawled on the floor. "Harry look! There's Ginny!"

"Luna don't!" he warned but it was too late. She had already took off.

Harry quickly followed, keeping his guard up.

"Ginny! Wake up!" Luna cried, shaking the girl. "Wake up! You have to wake up!"

"She won't wake." said a soft voice and Harry immediately pointed his wand at it, a powerful blasting curse at the ready.

A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Harry were looking at him through a misted window.

He was wearing green tinted Hogwarts uniform, though not an iteration he could ever remember seeing.

"Who are you?" he asked, not lowering his wand.

The boy raised an eyebrow and started walking towards where Luna was. Not about to take any chances he, dispelled the blasting curse and fired a Stunner, which to his surprise went straight through the boy.

"That won't work." The boy replied with a smirk. He bent down near Ginny picking up something.

"Are you a ghost?"

"My name's Tom Riddle," he said. "I'm a memory. Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying open there was a little black book. Harry looked back up at the now identified Tom Riddle. His eyes widened when he saw that he was holding a wand now. Luna's wand.

"Luna, love," he called. "Please come here."

"The girl, Ginny Weasley," Harry asked. "Is she dead?"

"She's alive," he replied. "But only just."

Luna figuring out that she didn't have her wand anymore, ran back to Harry.

"What did you do to her!?" she screamed at Riddle.

"And what makes you think it was me who did something to her?" Riddle asked.

"Because she's not dead or petrified so the basilisk had nothing do with her condition," Luna said. "And the only other person in this Chamber is you!"

"And you're not from our time," Harry said, picking up the thread. "I've never seen the pattern of robes you're wearing. And I may be mistaken but it looks like you solidifying by the second. I can properly see you now."

"Looks like Ms. Ginny Weasley wasn't exaggerating about your intelligence." Riddle said. "Though it still doesn't explain how someone with such mediocre talent could've defeated the greatest wizard of all time. How did you escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

"Why do you care how I escaped?" said Harry slowly. "Voldemort was after your time…"

"Voldemort," said Riddle softly, "is my past, present, and future, Harry Potter…"

With Luna's wand he began to trace through the air, writing three shimmering words:

 _Tom Marvolo Riddle_

Then he waved the wand once, and the letters of his name rearranged Themselves:

 _I Am Lord Voldemort_

And suddenly everything made sense. Of course, why didn't he see it before?

"You're the heir of Slytherin." Harry said and Riddle smirked. "You're the one who's been attacking everyone."

"Technically it was Ginny Weasley who opened the Chamber of Secrets and wrote all those messages." He said. "You see she began writing about all her woes in my diary. It was very boring of course, but I was really supportive. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. And little by little, I got stronger, and poor Ginny got weaker and weaker."

And yes, I am the true Heir of Slytherin. Did you really think I'd keep my filthy muggle father's name? I, in whose veins runs the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself, through my mother's side? I, keep the name of a foul, common Muggle, who abandoned me even before I was born, just because he found out his wife was a witch? No, Harry — I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!"

"You really were quite the bellend weren't you?" Harry asked with a smirk. "Even when you were still in school."

Riddle narrowed his eyes. "Let's hope you can still joke after this, Harry Potter."

He turned to the statue. §Speak to me, Slytherin, greatest of the Hogwarts Four§

Slytherin's stone mouth slowly slid open. And something was stirring inside, something was slithering up from its depths.

Harry knew that he'd have no choice but to fight now, and he needed backup. He quickly fired the disarming curse at Riddle. Luna's wand was ripped from the Dark Lord's fingers and Harry summoned it.

"Impressive." Riddle was saying. "But even two wands aren't going to help you Potter. Basilisk is invulnerable to all kinds of magic."

"I'm aware." Harry replied, glad for the darkness. He turned to Luna. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded. "Always."

He smiled, swallowing the urge to panic that came from within. "Then stay behind me, do not open your eyes until I tell you to, alright?"

There was a huge thud at the end of the tunnel and Harry knew it was time.


End file.
